Memorial United Methodist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Methodist Episcopal Church
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 23 Grand Ave., Swanton Village, Vermont |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1895 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| MPS | Religious Buildings, Sites and Structures in Vermont MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000219 |
| Added to NRHP | March 2, 2001 |
The Memorial United Methodist Church is a special old church in Swanton, Vermont. It was built in 1895 and has a unique design called Queen Anne architecture. This style uses lots of brick. Because of its history and design, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. This means it's an important building to protect.
Contents
What the Church Looks Like
The Swanton Methodist Episcopal Church stands proudly in Swanton's village green. You can find it on Grand Avenue, between the post office and the public library. It's a two-and-a-half-story building made of brick. The roof is gabled, which means it has two sloping sides that meet at the top. The church sits on a strong foundation of black marble.
Unique Design Features
The front of the church isn't perfectly even; it's called "asymmetrical." There's a square tower that sticks out on the left side. The bottom parts of the tower are made of brick and have strong corner supports called buttresses. The upper parts of the tower are made of wood.
Higher up, the tower has a belfry, which is where bells would be. This part has open, rounded arches with small gables on top. The very top of the tower has a special roof shape called a mansard roof.
Windows and Doors
The church has rounded-arch openings for both its doors and windows. You can enter the church through the base of the tower or through a main entrance in the center. Above the main entrance, there's a large, beautiful stained glass window. You'll also see rounded-arch windows on the upper levels along the sides of the church.
A Look Back at the Church's History
The story of the Methodist church in Swanton began a long time ago, in 1806. Back then, a traveling priest would visit and hold services in the local schoolhouse. The church group officially started in 1815. They met in a building owned by a local mill owner named Elisha Barney.
Early Meeting Places
From 1822 to 1847, the church shared a building with three other church groups. This was called a "union church." The first building built just for the Methodist congregation was finished in 1847. It stood right where the current church is today.
Building and Rebuilding
That first dedicated church was replaced by a larger building in 1886. However, that building was sadly destroyed by a fire in 1895. The fire started in a hotel nearby. Luckily, some important items were saved from the fire. The church pews (long benches) and several stained glass windows were rescued. The church you see today was built in 1895, right after that fire.
More to Explore
