Harmony Hall (Hampden, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Harmony Hall
|
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 24 Kennebec Rd., Hampden, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built | 1896 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000596 |
| Added to NRHP | June 27, 2007 |
Harmony Hall is a very old and special building in Hampden, Maine. It's located at 24 Kennebec Road. This building was first built in 1829 as a church. Later, in 1896, it got a new look.
Harmony Hall is a great example of two old building styles: Greek Revival and Gothic Revival. For a long time, it has been a place where people gather for community events. Because of its history and unique design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. This means it's an important historical site.
Contents
What Does Harmony Hall Look Like?
Harmony Hall sits on the north side of Kennebec Road. It is in an area called Hampden Highlands. The building is made of wood and has a rectangular shape. It has a roof that slopes down to the front. Most of its outside walls are covered with wooden boards called clapboards. The building stands on a strong foundation made of granite.
The Front of the Building
The front of Harmony Hall faces south. It looks very balanced and neat. There are three main sections, separated by flat, column-like decorations called pilasters. The two outer sections have doors. These doors have simple frames with decorative tops.
The middle section of the building has a tall, three-part tower. The bottom part of the tower is open. It has tall, pointed archways, like those you might see in a castle. The next part of the tower is tall and has windows with pointed arches. This section is covered with fancy, cut wooden shingles. The top part of the tower is an open bell tower. It also has pointed archways and is covered in clapboards. A shallow, pointed roof and a weather vane sit on top of the tower. Inside the tower is a bell made in 1827. It was a gift from a person named Martin Kinsley.
Harmony Hall's Interesting History
Harmony Hall was first built in 1829. It was a church for a group called the Universalists. This was the first building in Hampden made just for one church group. The Universalist church used the building until 1885. At that time, fewer people were attending, so the church closed.
How Harmony Hall Became a Community Hub
In 1895, a group called the Village Improvement Society bought the building. This group wanted to make the village a better place. They decided to fix up Harmony Hall to use it as a place for community events and meetings. During this renovation, they made some big changes. They took down the old bell tower, which was falling apart. They replaced it with the tower you see today. Inside, they removed the old church pews (long benches). They also added a kitchen.
Since then, Harmony Hall has been a central spot for local groups. It was especially important for groups working on new ideas, like women's suffrage. This was the movement to give women the right to vote. Today, the building is still used for many different community events.
