Milford Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Milford Congregational Church
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Location | Main and Ferry Sts., Milford, Maine |
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Area | less than one acre |
Built | 1883 |
Architect | Wing, Asa T. |
Architectural style | Queen Anne, Romanesque |
NRHP reference No. | 89000841 |
Added to NRHP | July 13, 1989 |
The Milford Congregational Church is an old and important church located in Milford, Maine. You can find it at the corner of Main and Ferry Streets. This beautiful building was constructed between 1883 and 1885. It has a special style called Queen Anne Victorian, which makes it one of the most detailed buildings in Milford. Because of its history and design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it's recognized as a significant historical place in the United States.
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About the Milford Church
The Milford Congregational Church stands at the northwest corner of Ferry Street and Main Street. Main Street is also known as United States Route 2. The church is located near the northern part of Milford's town center.
Church Design and Look
The church is a wooden building, about one and a half stories tall. It has a square tower at its southeast corner. The outside of the church uses different types of wood siding. These include clapboarding and cut wood shingles. This mix of materials is very common for buildings from the Queen Anne period.
A newer part of the building extends to the west, along Ferry Street. The front of the church, facing east, has a large, round-arch window made of stained glass. The main entrance is at the bottom of the tower, to the left of this window.
The Church Tower
The tower has strong support structures, called buttresses, on its south side. Above the entrance, there is a second section of the tower. This part has half-round windows. Higher up, there is a belfry section. This is where the church bell would be. It has two round-arch openings. The very top of the tower is shaped like a pyramid.
History of the Church Building
The local church group started in 1880. At first, a pastor from Old Town led their services. Land for the church was bought in 1883. Building the church took two years because of money challenges.
The person who designed the church is not known. However, the builder was Asa T. Wing from Old Town. The beautiful stained glass windows were made by David T. Welch from Portland. It is thought that the vestry, which is a room used by the clergy or for meetings, was built first. This part of the building was likely used before the rest of the church was finished.