French Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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French Congregational Church
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Springfield, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1887 |
| Architect | Provost, Sam |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| MPS | Downtown Springfield MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83004288 |
| Added to NRHP | February 24, 1983 |
The French Congregational Church is a very old and special building in Springfield, Massachusetts. Today, it is known as the First Spiritualist Church. This church was built in 1887. It was made for French Huguenots, who were Protestants from France. Many of them worked at the Smith & Wesson company.
A man named Daniel B. Wesson, who helped start Smith & Wesson, paid for the church to be built. In 1983, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historic site. In 2016, the whole building was moved! It used to be on Bliss Street but was moved to Union Street. This move made space for the MGM Springfield casino.
Contents
What Does the Church Look Like?
The French Congregational Church is in downtown Springfield. You can find it on the north side of Union Street. It is a single-story building. It is built with red bricks and has brownstone details.
Cool Features of the Church
The front of the church has a tall, square tower on the right side. This tower has three levels and a pointy roof. On the left side, there is a part that sticks out. It has many sides and a steep roof. In the middle, there is a large, pointy section called a gable. It also has a steep roof.
You can see groups of three arched windows. These windows are in the Gothic style. They are on the first floor and in the attic. The main doors are on the sides of the church. They are covered by small, gabled porches.
The Church's History
The church was built in 1887. Samuel Provost was the architect who designed it. It is a great example of the High Victorian Gothic style. This style was popular for buildings during that time.
Who Built the Church?
Daniel B. Wesson paid for the church to be built. He wanted a place for the French Huguenot Protestants to worship. Many of these people worked at his company, Smith & Wesson.
Changes Over the Years
Over time, fewer people attended the church. So, in 1909, the church building was sold. For a while, different groups of Congregationalists used it. In 1911, a local Spiritualist group bought the building. They owned it until 2013.
See also
