Jonesboro Union Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Jonesboro Union Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Looks Point Rd., at jct. with US 1, Jonesboro, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1840; 1911 |
| Built by | Calvin Whitney (1911) |
| Architect | E. Leander Higgins (1911) |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000788 |
| Added to NRHP | July 18, 2002 |
The Jonesboro Union Church is a special old church building in Jonesboro, Maine. You can find it on Looks Point Road, near U.S. Route 1. This church was first built in 1841. It was later changed a lot in 1911. It is the only church from the 1800s still standing in Jonesboro.
The church is famous for mixing different building styles. It was also one of the first church projects by a well-known architect, Edward Leander Higgins. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. This list helps protect important historical places.
Contents
What Does Jonesboro Union Church Look Like?
The Jonesboro Union Church is in the quiet, spread-out village of Jonesboro. It sits on the north side of Looks Point Road. From there, it looks over the Chandler River. The church is made of wood and has a complex shape. It has wooden siding and a foundation of stone and concrete.
Unique Shape and Features
The building looks a bit like the letter "T". There is a two-story tower at the inside corner of the "T". To the right of the tower is a section with a pointed roof. This part of the church is the original building from 1841. It holds the main worship area, called the sanctuary.
Behind the tower, another section extends to the west. This area is called the vestry. It is used for meetings and other church activities. The main entrance is inside the tower. The church has some cool design elements. These include strong supports on the sides, pointed decorations on the tower, and fancy wooden carvings.
History of Jonesboro Union Church
In 1840, the town of Jonesboro had three different church groups. They decided to build this church together in 1841. It was called a "union meeting house" because different groups could use it.
Changes Over Time
By the early 1900s, two of the church groups were no longer active. The building also needed many repairs. A famous architect from Portland, E. Leander Higgins, was hired. He was asked to redesign the church. It used to be a simple Greek Revival style building. Higgins changed it to make a larger worship space.
The church building was moved about 20 feet onto a new foundation. The inside was changed so the worship area faced a different direction. The tower and the vestry section were also added during this time.
Architect Edward Leander Higgins
The changes to the Jonesboro Union Church were some of Higgins' first church designs. Before this, he mostly designed homes. In the 1920s and 1930s, he became one of Portland's top architects. He was known for his skill in designing buildings in the Gothic Revival style. He even designed buildings for the Episcopal Diocese of Maine.
See also
