Rockingham Meeting House facts for kids
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Rockingham Meetinghouse
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Front of the Meeting House
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | Off VT 103, Rockingham, Vermont |
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| Area | 4.4 acres (18,000 m2) |
| Built | 1787–1801 |
| Architect | General John Fuller |
| Part of | Rockingham Village Historic District (ID07001346) |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000232 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 10, 1979 |
| Designated NHL | May 16, 2000 |
| Designated CP | January 4, 2008 |
The Rockingham Meeting House is a very old and important building in Rockingham, Vermont, United States. It's also known as Old North Meeting House or First Church in Rockingham. This historic building was constructed between 1787 and 1801.
It was special because it served two main purposes. People used it for Congregational church services. It was also a place for important town meetings and government discussions. Church services stopped in 1839, but town meetings continued there until 1869. The building was carefully fixed up in 1906 and has been kept in great condition ever since.
In 2000, the Rockingham Meeting House was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very important historical site in the country. It's a fantastic example of an old colonial-style meeting house that has been well-preserved. The town of Rockingham owns the building. Today, people can rent it for special events like weddings.
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Exploring the Rockingham Meeting House
The Rockingham Meeting House is located on Meeting House Road. It sits on a piece of land about 4 acres in size. This land also holds the town's original burial ground. Some of the oldest gravestones there date back to 1776. Meeting House Road was once the main center of Rockingham. This area was planned after the French and Indian War ended in 1763. That war was a big victory for Great Britain against France.
What the Building Looks Like
The meeting house is a large building made of wood. It has two stories and a roof that slopes down on two sides. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding. The building sits on a strong foundation made of granite.
The front of the building faces south and has five sections with windows. The windows are placed in a balanced but slightly uneven way around the main door. The main entrance has decorative columns on each side. It also has a fancy top part with a triangular shape.
On each side of the building, there are two-story stairwells. These have their own roofs and south-facing entrances, similar to the main one. When you go inside the main entrance, you enter a central hallway. This hallway leads to the main area filled with box pews. These are like small, enclosed seating areas.
At the front of the main area is the pulpit. This is where the speaker would stand. Above the pulpit is the original sounding board. This helped the speaker's voice carry through the room. The second floor has a gallery that goes around three sides of the building. This gallery is also lined with box pews. The pulpit area is about 7 feet wide. You can reach it by stairs on its left side. The pulpit was fixed up in 1906. It is one of the few parts of the building that isn't completely original. The only other major changes have been replacing some windows.
A Look Back at Its History
The town of Rockingham was first settled by people from England and America. This happened after the French and Indian War ended in 1763. People started talking about building a meeting house in 1771. A building was finally built on this spot in 1774. That first building was used until the current one was approved in 1787.
It's not completely clear when the new building was finished. The first town meeting held here was in 1792. At that time, the building was still not fully complete. In that same year, the town allowed local Christian groups to use the building for their services.
Over the years, different church groups built their own places of worship. The original Congregational church stopped holding services here in 1838. This happened as people's religious beliefs changed. The building continued to be used for town meetings. However, a new town hall was built in Bellows Falls, Vermont in 1869. After that, town meetings moved there.
Around 1850, the original pulpit was taken out. Most of the old benches around the pulpit area were also removed. The building was empty for many years. Even so, its outside was kept in good shape. Sadly, the inside was damaged by vandals. Some old items, like door handles and hand-cut nails, were stolen.
Restoration and Recognition
After being empty for a long time, the town restored the building in 1906. The first "Old Home Day and Pilgrimage to the Meeting House" was held in August 1907. The building almost burned down in a fire on April 14, 1908. That fire destroyed much of the nearby Rockingham Village.
A group called the Meeting House Association was formed in 1911. This happened thanks to Professor Franklin Hooper. He was the director of the Brooklyn Museum. Hooper was also a great-great-grandson of one of the first members of the First Church of Rockingham, which started in 1773.
The Rockingham Meeting House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Then, in 2000, it was named a National Historic Landmark. It's a fantastic example of a "second period" colonial meeting house. In these buildings, the main entrance was on the longer side. The area around the building still looks much like it did when it was first built. Its landmark status includes the building, the cemetery, and a special receiving tomb.
See also
- Oldest churches in the United States
- List of the oldest buildings in Vermont
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Vermont
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Vermont
