Fremont Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fremont Meeting House
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Fremont Meeting House
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 464 Main St., Fremont, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1800 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000461 |
| Added to NRHP | May 27, 1993 |
The Fremont Meeting House, also called the Poplin Meeting House, is a very old and important building in Fremont, New Hampshire. You can find it at 464 Main Street. It was built way back in 1800. This building is a great example of a "Federal-period" meeting house, which was a popular style back then. It's special because it's the only one left in New Hampshire that still has two porches! The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Contents
What is a Meeting House?
A meeting house was a very important building in early American towns. It wasn't just a church! People used it for both religious services and for town meetings. It was like a community center and a place of worship all in one.
About the Fremont Meeting House
The Fremont Meeting House is located in Fremont, New Hampshire, near the Ellis School. It's a big wooden building with two stories. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with clapboards, which are long, thin wooden boards.
Building Design and Features
The front of the building is quite plain. It has five sections, with the main door in the middle. The door has fancy wooden decorations around it. On the short sides of the building, there are special areas that stick out. These areas hold the staircases that lead up to the second floor.
Inside the Building
Inside, you can still see some of the original "box pews." These were like small, enclosed seating areas where families would sit during services. The pulpit, which is where the speaker stood, also has some of its original paint. This paint was made to look like marble! You can also find some rare old music stands in the upstairs gallery.
The Hearse House
Next to the meeting house, there's another old building called a hearse house. This small building was built in the 1800s. It was used to store a "hearse," which is a special carriage used to carry coffins to a burial ground.
History of the Meeting House
The town of Fremont was first called Poplin when it was officially created in 1764. It's interesting because most towns built a meeting house right away. But in Poplin, people went to nearby towns for worship for a while.
Building in 1800
The Fremont Meeting House was finally built in 1800. It was one of the last meeting houses in the area to be built in the old style. This means its main entrance was on the long side of the building, and it didn't have a tall steeple like many churches do today.
Special Roof Design
The way the roof was built is also special. It uses something called a "queenpost truss." This was a new building technique that became common in the 1800s. It helped make the roof strong and stable.
Town Meetings and Beyond
For many years, the Fremont Meeting House was used for town meetings. It served as the main place for the community to gather and make decisions until a new town hall was built in 1911.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Rockingham County, New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 167: Meetinghouse and Hearse House
