First Universalist Church (Kingston, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Universalist Church
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First Universalist Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Main St., Kingston, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1879 |
| Architect | C. Willis Damon |
| Architectural style | Stick/Eastlake |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000204 |
| Added to NRHP | December 26, 1979 |
The First Universalist Church is a special old building in Kingston, New Hampshire. People in the area often call it the Church on the Plains. It stands on Main Street and was built a long time ago, in 1879. A famous architect named C. Willis Damon designed it. The church is a great example of a building style called Stick/Eastlake architecture. In 1979, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site. Today, the local historical society takes care of it.
Contents
About the Church Building
The First Universalist Church building is in the middle of Kingston. You can find it on the east side of the town's large common. It is at the corner of Main Street and Cemetery Lane. This building is made of wood and has a rectangular shape. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a gable roof.
The Tower and Its Details
A tall, square tower sticks out from the front corner of the church. This tower has four main parts, or stages. The first part has two rectangular windows with cool patterns. The second part has single windows shaped like four-leaf clovers. The third part of the tower has openings on all four sides. This is where the church bell is kept. The very top part of the tower has clock faces on all four sides. A pointed steeple rises above the clocks.
Porch and Decorations
To the right of the tower, there is a small porch. Its roof slopes like a shed and is held up by big wooden supports. Above the porch, in the triangular part of the roof, there is a special three-part window. This is called a Palladian window. The triangular part of the roof also has fancy wooden decorations. These designs are part of the Stick style of architecture. Inside the church, there are beautiful stencil patterns on the walls. We don't know who made these designs.
History of the Church
The church was built in 1879. It was designed by an architect named C. Willis Damon. He was from Haverhill, Massachusetts. Damon was known as one of the best architects in Haverhill. He designed many factory buildings and the old Haverhill High School.
Other Buildings by Damon
C. Willis Damon also designed other important buildings in New Hampshire. These include a school building at Tilton School in Tilton, New Hampshire. He also designed the courthouse in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
What Happened to the Church
The First Universalist Church stopped being used as a church in 1954. Later, in 1974, the building was given to the local historical society. They now look after this important piece of Kingston's history.
See also
