Greenwood Union Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Greenwood Union Church
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The 1884 portion of the church
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Wakefield, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1884 |
| Architect | Wait & Cutter |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| MPS | Wakefield MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000697 |
| Added to NRHP | July 6, 1989 |
The Greenwood Union Church is a really old and important building located at 4 Oak Street in Wakefield, Massachusetts. It was built way back in 1884. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it's a special place worth protecting!
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The story of the Greenwood Union Church began in the mid-1850s. That's when a Sunday School started, led by Henry Degan. The first meetings were held in an empty room at the Greenwood School House. This building was also known as the old Hose House.
Building the First Church
In 1873, a group called the First Congregational Society of Greenwood was formed. They immediately started planning to build their own church. When the school needed their meeting room back, the group looked for land. They bought some land on Oak Street from the Joseph Eaton estate.
Architects Wait & Cutter were chosen to design the church. The foundation was laid in November 1884. By 1885, the ground floor of the building was ready to be used. The upper floors took a bit longer to finish. They were completed in 1895, and a special dedication ceremony was held on February 27, 1895.
Growth and Changes Over Time
The Greenwood Union Church officially became an organized church on November 19, 1903. In 1907, the church added a new one-story section for classrooms. A two-story addition was also built, which included a parlor for the Ladies' Aid society.
More big changes happened starting in 1920. The building was extended by 22 feet closer to Oak Street. The front of the main worship area, called the sanctuary, became the side. A new front was created, facing back towards the hill. The dedication for these changes took place on April 16, 1922.
Expanding the Church Campus
In 1944, a special fund was started to build a Parish House. This led to the church buying the neighboring Willard Eaton property in 1952. In January 1956, the church bought the corner lot at Oak and Main Street. This was for even more expansion.
The cornerstone for a new building was laid on September 25, 1960. The dedication ceremony for this new part happened in March 1961.
As of 2021, the church building was purchased by a new group. It is now known as Restoration Road Church.
See also
