Shiloh Temple facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Shiloh Temple
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Shiloh Chapel in 2019
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 38 Beulah Lane, Durham, Maine |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) (listed area) |
| Built | 1897 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000203 |
| Added to NRHP | May 12, 1975 |
The Shiloh Temple, now known as Shiloh Chapel, is a historic church building in Durham, Maine. It was built in 1897. This building is a small part of a much larger religious community that was started by a Christian leader named Frank Sandford. The Shiloh Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
Contents
History of Shiloh Chapel
Frank Sandford was a Baptist minister. In 1893, he left his church in Topsham, Maine. He said he heard God's voice telling him to leave. He then traveled around Maine and gathered many followers.
Building the Shiloh Community
In 1897, Sandford felt that God wanted him to build a home for his Bible school. This is when construction of the Shiloh Temple began near Durham, Maine. The community was first called "The Holy Ghost and Us." But over time, the name Shiloh, which first meant only the temple building, was used for the whole property. At its busiest, the complex had 500 rooms. It could house more than 1,000 people.
Life at Shiloh
Life at Shiloh was very strict. Sandford made many rules for his followers. He sometimes made very strict rules, like long fasts for everyone. Sandford faced serious legal problems related to the health and safety of people at Shiloh. However, he did not spend much time in prison for these issues.
Around 1905, Sandford used money from his followers to buy a racing yacht called the Coronet. He said their trips were for missionary work. But Sandford and his followers did not go ashore to preach. Instead, they would blow trumpets as they sailed past shorelines. They believed the noise would help people become Christians.
Trouble at Sea and Sandford's Imprisonment
In 1910, while near Africa, another ship carrying Shiloh members got stuck. All the passengers moved onto the Coronet, making it very crowded. Soon after, Sandford said he heard God tell him to "Continue." He thought this meant he should sail to Greenland. The Coronet tried to do this. Sandford often missed chances to get more food and supplies along the way.
In late 1911, crew members started to get very sick. After some crew members quietly went against Sandford, the ship turned towards Portland, Maine. Sadly, during this long trip, some crew members became very sick, and some even died. Sandford was sent to prison for nearly seven years. During this time, the Shiloh community continued under other leaders.
When Sandford returned to Shiloh in 1918, he was welcomed. However, many residents had been dealing with serious illness and hunger for months. Some of Sandford's daughters left the community around this time.
Changes at Shiloh
In 1920, after a legal case about the children's safety, the Children's Protective Society of Maine suggested that all young people leave the community. Soon after, Sandford told his followers to work in mills and on farms. This caused Shiloh to become mostly empty, and Sandford was left with only a few followers. He then announced his retirement and moved to Hobart, New York. He passed away there in 1948.
For the next fifty years, the Shiloh complex became a small farming community of 10-20 people. All the buildings except for the Shiloh Chapel were taken down. The church group continued to follow Sandford's teachings. In 1975, the chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1998, the chapel officially left Sandford's group, which was then called 'The Kingdom Ministries.' It became an independent church serving the Durham community.
Shiloh in Books
The famous author Stephen King spent part of his childhood in Durham. The Marsten House in his novel Salem's Lot is thought to be partly inspired by the Shiloh Chapel. King also included a made-up version of the Shiloh church in his stories The Body and Revival. In Revival, he wrote about his own memories of Shiloh from his time in Durham:
Shiloh had changed a lot since Sandford's death (and is today little different from other Protestant groups), but in 1965, a flock of old rumors - fueled by the odd dress of its members and their stated belief that the end of the world was coming soon, like maybe next week - persisted.
Description of the Chapel
The Shiloh Temple is located on a property that looks over the southern bank of the Androscoggin River. It is a few miles south of Lisbon Falls. The part of the temple that still stands is a four-story building. Its ground floor is a raised basement made of brick. The rest of the building is a wooden structure with a special type of roof called a mansard roof. A tall, seven-part tower sticks out from the front of the building. This tower is square, except for its top, which has a round bell tower and a small dome.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Androscoggin County, Maine
- A more complete history of Shiloh Temple
