Harrington Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Harrington Meetinghouse
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 278 Harrington Rd., Bristol, Maine |
|---|---|
| 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's a special kind of church and community center called a colonial meeting house. This historic building is located at 278 Harrington Road. It was first built in 1772. Then, it was moved to its current spot in 1775.
The Harrington Meeting House was one of the first three meeting houses in Bristol. Today, it has a small museum inside. You can see old photos, clothes, and books there. Next to the building is a cemetery with interesting old gravestones. In 1970, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical site.
Contents
History of the Harrington Meeting House
When the town of Bristol was first settled, it was much larger. People had to travel long distances to reach a meeting house. So, three meeting houses were built for the Presbyterian community. The other two were at Broad Cove and the Walpole Meetinghouse. The Broad Cove meeting house no longer exists.
The wooden frame for the Harrington Meeting House was first put up in Bristol Mills in 1772. But then, it was taken apart and rebuilt in 1773. This new location 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 several hundred yards to its current spot. At this time, the inside of the building was changed. The entry doors were moved to be behind the pulpit. This is called a "reverse plan" arrangement. The windows and doors were also changed. A new plaster ceiling was added.
For a long time, 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 indeed the original meeting house from 1772!
By 1970, most of the building was brought back to its original look. However, the pews (church benches) were not put back in the gallery. This area now holds museum displays. Also, the plaster ceiling was left out. This lets visitors see the special roof framing.
Building Design and Features
The roof of the Harrington Meeting House has a unique design. It uses king post trusses. These are special wooden supports that help hold up the roof. This type of king post truss is quite rare.
You can find similar roof designs in a few other old buildings. For example, the 1714 meeting house in Lynnfield, Massachusetts has a similar style. So does the 1800 Congregational Church in Windham, Vermont. The 1799 Strafford, Vermont meeting house also shares this rare roof framing.
See also
