Primitive Baptist Church of Brookfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Primitive Baptist Church of Brookfield |
|
|---|---|
Front (south) elevation, 2007
|
|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Primitive Baptist |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | church |
| Year consecrated | 1792 |
| Status | preserved |
| Location | |
| Location | NY 6, Slate Hill, NY, United States |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 1792 |
| Completed | 1792 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | south |
| Materials | wood |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1976 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 76001260 |
The Primitive Baptist Church of Brookfield is a very old church. It is also known as the Old School Baptist Meeting House. You can find it along US 6 in Slate Hill, New York. Slate Hill is a small community in Orange County.
This church was built in 1792. Back then, the area was called Brookfield. It is one of the oldest church buildings still standing in the county. It is also one of the first buildings in what is now Slate Hill.
In 1976, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site. It was recognized for its age and its unique building style. This style uses older building methods. Even though there were no church members from 1933 to 2004, people worked to save the building. They held a service every year. Now, the church has members again.
Contents
Exploring the Church Building
The church stands on a small hill. It is on the north side of Route 6. The building is tall and white. It has two stories and a gable roof. This means the roof slopes down on two sides. The outside is covered with clapboard siding.
Church Tower and Windows
A four-story tower was added later to the front. This tower has a belfry, which holds bells. It also has a tall, pointed spire at the top. The back and west sides of the church have two sections each. Most of their original sash windows are still there. These windows slide up and down.
The east side has three sections. This was once the main entrance. It still has a fancy doorway with windows on the sides. The original decorative trim under the roof is still there. It is called a cornice with dentils. Dentils are like small blocks.
Inside the Church
Inside, you will see special seats called box pews. These pews were common for the time. They have raised wooden panels. A six-sided pulpit is on the west wall. This is where the pastor speaks.
A three-sided gallery is on the second floor. You can reach it by stairs in the tower. The entire inside of the church is made of unpainted white pine wood.
Church Grounds
Next to the church is a cemetery. The gravestones there date back to when the church was built. The only other building is a small outhouse. The church itself does not have indoor plumbing.
A Look at Church History
The first meetings of local Baptists happened in 1783. They met at Woodlawn Farm. This was the home of Richard Wood, an early settler.
Founding the Church
Eight years later, in 1791, the church became official. The next year, Joseph Hallock gave land for the church. It was named Brookfield after the growing settlement.
In 1828, the tower was added. The stairs inside the tower allowed more people to sit in the church. Five years later, the church changed its name. It joined the Primitive Baptist movement. This group believed in older ways of worship. They did not agree with new ideas like foreign missions or Sunday schools. They were sometimes called the Old School Meetinghouse of Brookfield.
Name Change and Later Years
The church kept the name Brookfield. But the postal service later made the town change its name to Slate Hill. This was to avoid confusion with another Brookfield in New York.
After the Civil War, stoves were added to heat the church. Over many years, the number of church members became very small. The last member died in 1933. But people called trustees kept meeting every year. They also took care of the building. In 2004, two new members joined the church. This brought the congregation back to life.
Architectural Style of the Church
The outside of the church has simple, classic decorations. This shows that new building styles were starting to appear. This was when the Federal style was becoming popular.
However, the inside of the church looks very old. It uses heavy, unpainted wood. The pews have raised panels. This style reminds us of old English buildings. These were common in the late 1600s and early 1700s. The pulpit also looks like those found in churches from that time in New England. The Brookfield church is a very late example of a style that was popular long before the American Revolution.
