Hill Center Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hill Center Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | Murray Hill Rd., Hill, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.6 acres (0.24 ha) |
| Built | 1799 |
| Architect | Osgood, Enoch |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Pseudo-Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002186 |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 1985 |
The Hill Center Church is a very old and special building in Hill, New Hampshire. It used to be called the New Chester Meeting House. This church was built way back in 1799. It was changed a lot in 1847.
This building is a great example of a style called Gothic Revival architecture. It was used for both church services and important town meetings. Today, a local group takes care of it. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's an important historical site.
Contents
What the Hill Center Church Looks Like
The Hill Center Church is in the middle of Hill, a small town north of Concord, New Hampshire. You can find it on the north side of Murray Hill Road. It's between Currier Road and Dearborn Road.
Church Design and Features
This church is a one-and-a-half-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are covered with clapboards. Imagine a house with long, thin wooden boards overlapping each other.
The front of the church has three sections. There are two windows on each side of the main door. The door itself has tall, flat columns next to it. These columns go up to blocks with fancy decorations on top.
The Church Tower
Above the main roof, there's a two-part tower. The first part is square and plain. It has a decorative edge with pointed shapes at the corners. There's also a low fence-like railing around it.
The second part of the tower is an open space for bells, called a belfry. It has square posts at the corners. This part also has a railing and pointed decorations. On top of the tower is an eight-sided spire. A weathervane sits at the very top, showing which way the wind is blowing.
History of the Hill Center Church
The Hill Center Church has a long and interesting past. It has served the community for over 200 years.
Building a Community Hub
The church was built in 1799. Back then, the town of Hill was known as New Chester. The building was called a "meeting house." This meant it was used for both religious gatherings and important town meetings. It was a central place for the community.
Changes Over Time
In the 1840s, the town decided to build a separate town hall. The church members then voted to fix up their building. It really needed a lot of repairs! The work done in 1847 changed the church quite a bit. Because of these big changes, we don't know exactly what the church looked like when it was first built. We only have general ideas.
Keeping the Church Alive
The church had more major repair work in the 1960s. Today, a local community group helps keep the building in good shape. They make sure this historic place can be enjoyed for many more years.
See also
