Old Indian Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Indian Meeting House
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 Location in Cape Cod
Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 410 Meetinghouse Rd., Mashpee, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 6.8 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Built | 1758 |
| Architect | Hinckley, Deacon John |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Greek Revival, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001383 |
| Added to NRHP | December 3, 1998 |
The Old Indian Meeting House, also called the Old Indian Church, is a very old and important building in Mashpee, Massachusetts. It was built way back in 1758. This meeting house is special because it's the oldest church in the eastern United States built for and used by Native American people. In 1998, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as a significant historical site.
Contents
What the Meeting House Looks Like
The Old Indian Meeting House is on the east side of Meetinghouse Road. It stands at the western end of a cemetery. This cemetery stretches across about 7 acres of land.
The building itself is made of wood. It has one and a half stories and a pointed roof. The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards. The building looks like it was built in the Greek Revival style. This means it has tall, flat columns at the corners. These columns go up to decorative bands that run along the roofline.
The front of the building has two doors. They are placed evenly on each side. Each door has flat columns and a decorative frame above it. There is a triangle-shaped window in the pointed part of the roof. Fixed windows are also found above the entrances.
A Look at the Meeting House's History
Early Buildings and Uses
The very first church in Mashpee was built in 1670. Later, in 1684, a second meeting house was constructed. This second building was moved to a different spot in Mashpee around 1717.
By 1758, a meeting house was located at the current site. It's not fully clear if this was the 1684 building that was moved and made bigger, or if it was a brand new building. This meeting house was used by the Wampanoag Native Americans as a Christian church. The building also served as a school for the community. A cemetery, or burial ground, was started on the church property in the late 1700s.
Important Moments and Reopening
The Old Indian Meeting House has been a place of great importance for the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe for almost 400 years. It holds deep historical and spiritual meaning for them.
In 1833, this meeting house was the site of the Mashpee Revolt. During this time, tribal members and their minister, William Apess (who was Pequot), protested. They were upset about the state government interfering with their self-governance. They also protested against white settlers stealing wood from tribal lands. This event showed the tribe's strength in standing up for their rights.
The site was rededicated in 1923. This happened under the leadership of Nelson D. Simons. In 1998, the Old Indian Meeting House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This recognized its importance to the nation's history. In 2009, the Mashpee tribe celebrated the building's reconstruction. They also held a formal re-opening ceremony.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
- Oldest churches in the United States
- Praying Indian
