Rumford Point Congregational Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rumford Point Congregational Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | ME 5 and US 2 jct., Rumford, Maine |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architect | Jonathan Adams Bartlett |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001259 |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1985 |
The Rumford Point Congregational Church is a very old and special church located in Rumford, Maine. You can find it where State Route 5 meets U.S. Route 2. This church was built in 1865. It's famous because it has unique artwork called Trompe-l'œil painted on its walls and ceilings. Not many churches from the 1800s in Maine have this kind of art. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
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What Makes This Church Special?
The Rumford Point Congregational Church is in a historic village called Rumford Point. It's also very close to a bridge that crosses the Androscoggin River.
Church Building Design
The church is a one-story building made of wood. It has a simple tower with two parts, topped by a tall steeple and a weathervane. The front of the church has three sections. The main door is in the middle. It has decorative columns, called pilasters, on each side. Above the door is a triangular shape, like a small roof, called a pediment. This pediment sits above some fancy panels.
The sections on either side of the door, and along the sides of the church, have tall windows. The first part of the tower is square and covered with overlapping wooden boards, called clapboards. The second part of the tower holds the church bell, so it's called the belfry. This part is covered with smooth, flat wooden boards and has round, arched openings with slats. The church was finished in 1865.
Amazing Artwork Inside
The most amazing part of the church is the artwork painted on its walls and ceilings. These paintings are called frescoes. They were likely painted by an artist named Jonathan Adams Bartlett. He was an "itinerant artist," which means he traveled around to different places to paint.
These paintings are some of the newest and rarest examples of this kind of art from the 1800s in Maine. The art uses a special trick called Trompe-l'œil. This French phrase means "deceive the eye." The paintings make it look like the ceiling has a big dome, even though it doesn't. The walls are painted to make the choir area seem much larger than it really is. It's like a clever optical illusion! Some of the ceiling art has been damaged a little by water over the years.
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