Methodist Episcopal Church of Isle La Motte facts for kids
Quick facts for kids United Methodist Church of Isle La Motte |
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| 44°52′37″N 73°20′17″W / 44.87694°N 73.33806°W | |
| Location | 67 Church St., Isle La Motte, Vermont |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | United Methodist |
The United Methodist Church of Isle La Motte is a very old and special church in Isle La Motte, Vermont. People also know it as the Old Stone Church because it is made of stone. It was built a long time ago in 1843.
What makes this church extra cool is that its basement was used for town meetings and even a school for many years! Meanwhile, church services happened upstairs. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 because of its important history.
Contents
The Church's Design and Story
This historic church stands in the middle of Isle La Motte's town center. You can find it on the north side of Church Street. It sits a little way back from the road, with a curved driveway in front.
Building Materials and Look
The church is a rectangular building made from gray limestone. The stones are cut neatly and laid in rows, held together with a special kind of cement called lime mortar. The roof is shaped like a triangle, called a gabled roof. From the roof, a two-story wooden tower rises up, topped with its own cross-shaped roof.
The windows are made of beautiful stained glass. They are rectangular and have stone sills and tops. The main door is in the center of the front of the church. Above the door, a stone shows the year the church was built: 1843.
How the Church Was Built
Before this church was built, the Methodist church group in Isle La Motte met in people's homes. The church was finished in 1843. A very skilled stonemason named James Ritchie built it. He was an immigrant from Scotland and this church is thought to be one of his best works.
The land for the church was given by Ira Hill. James Ritchie also built Ira Hill's house! The main floor of the church was used for religious services. But the basement was divided into two parts. One part was a school, and the other was where the town held its meetings. This continued until 1892, when the town and school moved to other buildings.
Later, in the 1900s, the Methodist church group joined with other church groups. They formed the congregation that still uses the building today.
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