Monson Community Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Monson Community Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 19 Greenville Rd., Monson, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1861 |
| NRHP reference No. | 12000453 |
| Added to NRHP | July 30, 2012 |
The Monson Community Church is a Christian church located in Monson, Maine. It is a very special place because its building is actually made from two older churches joined together! One part was built in 1845 for a Baptist church group. The other part was built in 1861 for a Congregationalist church group.
In 1959, these two church groups decided to become one big church. They moved the older Baptist church building and connected it to the Congregational church. This unique building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. This means it is an important historical place in the United States.
Contents
Exploring the Church Building
The Monson Community Church stands on the northeast side of Greenville Road. This road is also known as Main Street or Maine State Route 6. The building from 1861, which was the Congregational church, is closer to the street. The older Baptist church building, built in 1845, is now attached to its northeast side.
Inside the Church
The Congregational church part has two floors. It has been changed to hold church offices and meeting rooms. It also has spaces for Sunday School classes. The Baptist church building was originally on Pleasant Street. It was moved to its current spot in 1959 to join the other church.
Both buildings are covered with wooden siding called clapboard. They both have a style called Greek Revival. This style includes features like tall, flat columns on the corners. They also have triangular sections at the top, like the front of an ancient Greek temple. The Congregational church has a two-part tower with an open bell area. The tower of the Baptist church was taken off when the building was moved.
A Look at Church History
The town of Monson was first settled between 1815 and 1820. It became an official town in 1822. The Congregational church group in Monson started in 1821. They built their first church building in 1831. People said it was the first church between Bangor and the Canadian border.
Changes Over Time
Sadly, that first church building burned down in 1860. But the church group quickly built a new one. The Baptist church group started in 1827. However, they did not build their own church until 1845. Both church groups were strong and had many members until the 1940s. At that time, their numbers started to get smaller.
By 1955, the two churches began talking about joining together. The big move of the Baptist church building happened in 1959. The Monson Community Church officially became one church in 1982. The Congregational Society, which was the old church group, ended in 1986. The Baptist Society ended in 1996.
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