Quaker Meetinghouse (Adams, Massachusetts) facts for kids
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Quaker Meetinghouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The meetinghouse is surrounded by the graves of the Maple Street Cemetery
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Maple Street Cemetery, Adams, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1781 |
| Part of | Maple Street Cemetery (ID04000536) |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000236 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 17, 1976 |
| Designated CP | June 2, 2004 |
The East Hoosac Quaker Meetinghouse is a very old and important building in Adams, Massachusetts. It's a special kind of church or meeting place for a group called the Quakers. This building was first built way back in the 1780s.
Today, you can find it in the Maple Street Cemetery. This cemetery was the very first burial ground in Adams. Near the meetinghouse, there are graves of early Quaker settlers. These graves don't have names on them, but a special plaque now marks the area. The meetinghouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it's a very important historical site!
What Does It Look Like?
The Quaker Meetinghouse stands on a high spot in the Maple Street Cemetery. It's a simple, rectangular building made of wood. It has two stories and measures about 28 feet by 36 feet.
Quakers often kept their buildings very plain. So, this meetinghouse doesn't have fancy decorations inside or outside. The outside is covered with wooden clapboards. The front of the building is a bit uneven. It has two doors, one for men and one for women. The doors and window shutters are made of simple wooden planks. A chimney sticks out from the roof near one end.
A Look Inside
Inside, the building used to have a wall that separated the men from the women. Parts of this wall could even be moved. People sat on benches during meetings. There were also fireplaces on the women's side of both floors to keep warm.
Who Were the Quakers?
The town of Adams was first settled by Quakers. Most of them came from a place called Smithfield, Rhode Island. This happened in the 1760s. Back then, Adams was known as East Hoosac.
The meetinghouse you see today was built in 1784. It was used regularly by the Quakers until 1842. By that time, fewer Quakers lived in the area. Scientists have found that the area near the meetinghouse in the cemetery has unmarked graves. These are from Quakers who lived there in the 1760s. It was common for Quakers not to mark graves back then. Did you know that relatives of Susan B. Anthony are buried here? She was a famous leader who fought for women's right to vote!
See also
