Gray Memorial United Methodist Church and Parsonage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gray Memorial United Methodist Church and Parsonage
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The church in 1913
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 8 + 10 Prospect St., Caribou, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1912 (church), 1906 (parsonage) |
| Architect | Astle & Page |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (church), Colonial Revival (parsonage) |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000725 |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1995 |
The Gray Memorial United Methodist Church and Parsonage is a super old church and house in Caribou, Maine. The church building looks like it's from a fairy tale, with its tall windows and fancy design. It was built between 1912 and 1914 for a church group that started way back in 1860.
This church is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in Caribou. It was built right next to the house that became its parsonage (the pastor's home). That house actually had to be moved a little bit to make room for the new church! This special place was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
About the Church Buildings
The Gray Memorial United Methodist Church sits on a nice, flat piece of land in downtown Caribou. It's right at the corner of Prospect and Sweden Streets. The church building is made of wood and has a unique "L" shape. A tall tower stands where the two parts of the "L" meet.
Church Design and Features
The front of the church, facing Sweden Street, has a big pointed arch design. It features three tall, narrow windows, with the middle one being the largest. There's also a cool window that sticks out above them. The main entrance is in the tower, tucked under a small roof. Another door is to the left, and a covered driveway (called a porte-cochere) is on the right.
The side of the church, facing Prospect Street, also has an entrance in the tower. This side has a large pointed window with another sticking-out window above it. The tower itself has smaller windows on its upper levels. At the very top, there's an open area for bells and a pyramid-shaped roof with a clock built into it.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church still looks much like it did when it was first built. It has a special layout that combines different ideas for how churches should be designed. The walls and ceilings inside are decorated with metal, and the floors are made of cypress wood.
The beautiful stained glass windows were made by a company in Boston, Massachusetts. And guess what? The clock in the tower was made by the famous Seth Thomas Clock Company!
The Parsonage House
The house next to the church, which is the parsonage, was built a bit earlier, in 1906. It's a different style, called Colonial Revival. This means it looks a bit like older American homes. It has a sloped roof with windows sticking out (called dormers) and a porch that wraps around part of the house.
Church History
The Methodist church group in Caribou started in 1860. At first, they had traveling ministers. They built their first church building nearby in 1885. But as more people joined, they needed a bigger space!
So, they bought the house next door. They carefully moved it back to use as the pastor's home (the parsonage). Then, they built the amazing new church building you see today between 1912 and 1914. The church was named Gray Memorial in honor of Bessie Gray. She was the pastor's wife and helped a lot with getting the new church built. The local company Astle and Page built (and probably designed) the church.
See also
