Harrington Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Harrington Meetinghouse
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 278 Harrington Rd., Bristol, Maine |
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| Area | 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) |
| Built | 1773 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000051 |
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 1970 |
The Harrington Meeting House is a very old and important building in Bristol, Maine. It was built a long, long time ago in 1772. This building was one of the first three meeting houses in the town. People used meeting houses for church services and town meetings. Today, the Harrington Meeting House is a special museum. It shows old photos, clothes, and books from the past. There's also an old cemetery next to it with interesting gravestones. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. This means it's recognized as a very important place in American history.
Contents
History of the Meeting House
When Bristol was first settled, it was a much bigger area. People had to travel far to get to a meeting house. Because of this, three meeting houses were built for the Presbyterian community. The other two were at Broad Cove (which is now gone) and the Walpole Meetinghouse.
Building and Moving the Meeting House
The wooden frame for the Harrington Meeting House was first put up in Bristol Mills in 1772. But then, it was taken down and rebuilt in 1773. Its new spot was at the head of John's Bay. By 1775, the people of Bristol officially accepted all three meeting houses.
Changes Over Time
Around 1850, the building was moved again. It went a few hundred yards to where it stands today. At that time, the inside of the building was changed. The entry doors were moved to be behind the pulpit. This is called a "back to" or "reverse plan" design. The windows and doors were also changed, and a curved plaster ceiling was added.
Rediscovery and Restoration
For a while, people thought the original meeting house had been destroyed. But in 1960, a person named Ilonka Fertig led a project to repair the building. During the repairs, they found clues that showed it was actually the original meeting house from 1772!
By 1970, most of the building was restored to look like it did originally. However, the pews (church benches) were not put back in the gallery area. This space now holds museum displays. Also, the plaster ceiling was left out. This allows visitors to see the unusual way the roof was built.
Building Design and Features
The roof of the Harrington Meeting House has a special design. It uses something called king post trusses. These trusses have a double top chord, which is like an extra strong beam at the top.
Unique Roof Framing
This type of king post truss is quite rare. You can find other examples in a few other old buildings. These include the 1714 meeting house in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, a church from 1800 in Windham, Vermont, and the 1799 meeting house in Strafford, Vermont. This unique roof structure is a cool part of the building's history.
See also
