First Universalist Church (Salem, Massachusetts) 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 Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Salem, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1808 |
| Architect | Putnam, William |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| MPS | Downtown Salem MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000577 |
| Added to NRHP | July 29, 1983 |
The First Universalist Society of Salem is a historic building in Salem, Massachusetts. It used to be a church for the Universalist faith. You can find it at 211 Bridge Street. This building has a long history and is an important part of Salem's past.
Contents
History of the Church Building
How the Church Started
The idea for this church began in 1805. Seven people from Salem were very interested in a belief system called Universalism. They went to a special talk given by Reverend John Murray. He was one of the people who helped start the Universalist faith. After his talk, these seven people decided to create their own Universalist group in Salem.
Building the Church
Just a few years later, in 1808, the church building you see today was constructed. Reverend Hosea Ballou helped start the Universalist Church. He was there to lay the first stone for the building. The church was built in the Federal style. This was a popular way to design buildings in America during that time.
Special Features and Later Years
Inside the church, there was a very special musical instrument. It was a large organ built in 1888 by Hutchings. This organ had 1,200 pipes, which made many different sounds. In 1983, the church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical place. The church closed its doors in 2016. Its members then joined with another church, First Parish, UU, in Beverly, Massachusetts.
