North Waterford Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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North Waterford Congregational Church
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| Location | Off ME 35, North Waterford, Maine |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1860 |
| Architect | Holt, Thomas; Hobson, George |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 86001275 |
| Added to NRHP | June 13, 1986 |
The North Waterford Congregational Church is a special old church located near Route 35 in North Waterford, Maine. It's a two-story building made of wood, shaped like a rectangle. It has a cool entrance and a tall tower at the front. Built way back in 1860, it's a beautiful example of Italianate style architecture. This church was designed by Thomas Holt, a famous architect from Maine. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
History of the Church
The North Waterford Church started in 1860. People living in northern Waterford wanted a church closer to their homes. They used to travel far to the main Waterford Congregational Church. So, they decided to build their own.
Who Designed This Church?
The church was designed by Thomas Holt. He was from Bethel, Maine. Thomas Holt designed several other churches in Maine. But he was even more famous for designing railroad stations. The church building was put up in June 1860. It was officially opened in December of the same year. The same church group still uses the building today.
What Does the Church Look Like?
The church sits on a high spot. It's on a narrow, triangle-shaped grassy area. This area is bordered by Five Kezars Road and Irving Green Road. The church is a two-story building. It's made of wood and sits on a strong granite foundation. The outside is mostly covered with wooden clapboards.
The Front Entrance and Tower
The front of the church faces northeast. An entry section sticks out from the main building. This section goes up to support the tower. At the ground level, there are double doors. You reach them by climbing granite steps. Above these doors are two tall, round-arch windows. This part of the church looks very smooth. It has decorative columns and an arch with a special keystone. Above this sticking-out section, there is a gabled roof. It has small returns and decorative brackets under the eaves.
The Church Tower
The tower is partly on the sticking-out entrance. It is also partly on the main church building. It starts with a square section. This part continues upwards above the gable roof. It has slightly sticking-out blocks at its ends. Above this is the first main part of the tower. This section has a small round window on the front. It also has decorative corner parts. A decorative line, called a cornice, is above this section.
The second part of the tower holds the bells. This part has square sections with louvers. Louvers are like angled slats that let sound out. These sections are framed by inner and outer arches. These arches have decorative columns. There is also fancy wooden decoration at the corners. Another cornice line is above this section. It has many double Italianate brackets. These brackets separate this part from the octagonal steeple. The steeple is the tall, pointed top. On top of the steeple are a weathervane and a spire.