North Sandwich Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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North Sandwich Meeting House
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Quaker-Whiteface and Brown Hill Rds., Sandwich, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1881 |
| Built by | Quinby, William F. |
| Architectural style | Quaker plain style |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001230 |
| Added to NRHP | June 5, 1986 |
The North Sandwich Meeting House is a special old building located in Sandwich, New Hampshire. It's a historic Quaker meeting house, which means it's a place where Quakers, a type of Christian group, gather for worship. Built in 1881, this building is the best-preserved Quaker meeting house from the 1800s in its area. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, recognizing its importance. For many years, it was the only active Quaker meeting house in Carroll County.
Contents
What is the North Sandwich Meeting House?
The North Sandwich Meeting House is found in a quiet, countryside part of northeastern Sandwich. It sits at the corner of Quaker-Whiteface Road and Brown Hill Road. This building is made of wood and has one story. It has a simple roof that slopes down on two sides, called a gable roof. The corners of the building have flat, decorative columns called pilastered cornerboards.
Inside the Meeting House
When you go inside, you first enter a small area called a vestibule. From there, you can go into the main hall where people gather. There are also stairs that lead up to a balcony. Not much has changed on the outside of the building. A bulletin board was added, and the front steps and platform, made of granite, seem to have been put in around the 1920s.
Inside, only a few small changes have been made. Two long benches, called pews, were taken out. One was removed to make space for an organ, and the other for a newer heating system. At some point, carpet was also added to the main meeting area.
History of the Quakers in Sandwich
The Quaker group in Sandwich, officially called the Sandwich Society of Friends, started in 1783. In 1802, this group became a "monthly meeting." This meant they had separate smaller groups for the southern and northern parts of Sandwich. The first meeting house for the northern group was built on this very spot in 1814.
Changes Over Time
During the middle of the 1800s, both the northern and southern Quaker groups became smaller. The southern group eventually stopped meeting in 1884. However, the northern group became active again in 1876. Because their first building was getting old and falling apart, they built the current meeting house in 1881. This new building replaced the older one. Unlike two other Quaker meeting houses in the county, this one has stayed very much the same over the years.
See also
