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North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church–Holderness Historical Society Building facts for kids

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North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church–Holderness Historical Society Building
HoldernessNH HistoricalSociety.jpg
North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church–Holderness Historical Society Building is located in New Hampshire
North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church–Holderness Historical Society Building
Location in New Hampshire
North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church–Holderness Historical Society Building is located in the United States
North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church–Holderness Historical Society Building
Location in the United States
Location U.S. Route 3, Holderness, New Hampshire
Area less than one acre
Built 1860
Architect John Jewell, John S. Drew
NRHP reference No. 86002171
Added to NRHP September 4, 1986

The North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church–Holderness Historical Society Building is a really old church in Holderness, New Hampshire. It was built way back in 1860 for a group called the Free Will Baptists. This building is special because it still looks a lot like it did when it was first built. In 1986, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site! The building was moved in 1994 by the Holderness Historical Society. They now own it and it sits on U.S. Route 3.

What the Building Looks Like

The old North Holderness Freewill Baptist Church building is in the middle of Holderness village. It's located just east of the Squam River crossing on US Route 3. This building is one and a half stories tall. It is made of wood and has a pointed roof. The outside is covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards.

Outside Features

The corners of the building have simple flat columns, called pilasters. The pointed parts of the roof, called gables, have special corner designs. The front of the building has three sections. There are two doors with a window in the middle. Above these, in the gable, are two smaller windows. Each side of the building has two windows. The back wall does not have any windows.

Inside the Church

When you go inside, there are small entry areas at each door. These areas are separated by a space for the choir. The main part of the church is one large room. The floors are made of the original wooden planks. The walls are covered with plaster and have wooden boards along the bottom. A raised platform is at the front of the north wall.

History of the Church

This church was built for a group of Free Will Baptists. This group started in 1847. Before they had their own building, they met in a local schoolhouse. They decided to build this church in 1860.

Who Built It?

It's a bit of a mystery who exactly built the church. There are different stories about local builders. Some say John Jewell and John Drew were involved. Others mention a master carpenter named Worthen. The church was built on a small piece of land. The church group bought this land for only $20.

Later Years and Moving the Building

The Free Will Baptist group stopped meeting in 1894. But the church building was still used sometimes for services in the 1900s. In 1970, the local historical society bought the building. They moved it to its current spot in 1994. Now, it helps tell the story of Holderness.

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