Lower Warner Meetinghouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lower Warner Meetinghouse
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 103, Warner, New Hampshire |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1844 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000450 |
| Added to NRHP | May 25, 1989 |
The Lower Warner Meetinghouse is a special old building located at 232 East Main Street (NH 103) in Warner, New Hampshire. It was built a long time ago, in 1844-1845. This building is a great example of a 19th-century Greek Revival church. It still has almost all of its original inside parts! The only big change was losing its tall steeple around 1893, which was hit by lightning. Because of its history and how well it's been kept, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Lower Warner Meetinghouse is in a quiet, country area in eastern Warner. It sits on the north side of NH 103. This building is made of wood and has a sloped roof. Its outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards.
Outside Features
The front of the building has three sections. The middle section has a doorway that is set back a bit. On either side of this door are two large windows. The corners of the building and the sides of the doorway have flat, decorative wooden panels. Above the doorway, the roof forms a triangle shape, like a pediment. Inside this triangle is a small, triangular vent. Above the front entrance, a two-part square tower rises up. The side walls of the building each have three large windows.
Inside the Meetinghouse
When you go inside, you can see many of the original features. Even though some of the benches have been moved or taken out, the building still has its first pulpit (where a speaker stands). It also has its original lights and a stove that was used for heating. You can even find the original Bible that was used in the pulpit!
A Look Back in Time
The very first meetinghouse in this area was built in 1789. But in the 1840s, the church group decided they wanted to move to a different village nearby.
Building the New Meetinghouse
Some people didn't agree with moving. So, they decided to build a brand new meetinghouse right where the old one was. It's not completely clear how, but a local Methodist church group also started using the building by 1846. Both the Congregationalists and Methodists shared the building until the 1860s. After that, the building was no longer used regularly.
Saving the Building
For many years, neighbors informally looked after the building. Then, in 1897, a big project began to fix it up, especially after the steeple was lost. In 1969, the Lower Warner Meetinghouse was given to the Warner Historical Society. They now take care of this important piece of history.
See also
