Society of the Congregational Church of Great Barrington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Society of the Congregational Church of Great Barrington
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2006 photo
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Great Barrington, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1883 |
| Architect | William C. Brocklesby et al. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000999 |
| Added to NRHP | August 20, 1992 |
The Society of the Congregational Church of Great Barrington is an old and important church building. It is also known as the First Congregational Church of Great Barrington. You can find it at 241 and 251 Main Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. This church is the fourth building for a group of people who started meeting way back in 1743.
Contents
Church History
Early Beginnings
The church community began in 1743. It was started by Samuel Hopkins. He was an early thinker in a religious movement called New Divinity. This movement focused on certain ideas about God and faith.
Building the Church
The church building you see today was finished in 1883. It was built after a fire destroyed most of the earlier church. That previous church, built in 1859, was also made of stone found nearby.
In 1883, the Hopkins family gave a house to the church. This house became the parish hall, a place for church activities. It was also covered in local stone. The famous architects Peabody & Stearns designed this building. It used to be across the street but was moved next to the church.
Important Connections
In the 1880s, the church helped one of its members, W. E. B. Du Bois, go to Fisk University. He later became a very important writer and civil rights leader.
In 1992, the church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a special historical site in the United States.
Church Design
Location and Materials
The church is right in the middle of downtown Great Barrington. It faces west toward Main Street. The church, along with its minister's house (manse) and carriage house, are all built from limestone found in the area.
Main Features
The church building has two main levels. It has a long main hall called a nave. The walls of the nave are supported by strong stone supports called buttresses. The roof is very steep and covered with slate tiles.
A tall, five-story tower stands at the southwest corner. It is about 116 feet (35 meters) high. The tower has a pointy, pyramid-shaped roof with edges that curve outwards.
Architects and Changes
The church was built in 1883. It used some parts from the older church that burned down in 1882. That older church was also made from stone from the same local quarry.
William C. Brocklesby, an architect from Hartford, Connecticut, designed the church. The minister's house and the carriage barn were added in 1884. They were designed by Peabody and Stearns, an architecture firm from Boston.
Notable People
- David Leavitt
- W. E. B. Du Bois
See also
