St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church (Montgomery, Vermont) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | VT 118, Montgomery, Vermont |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1835 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88001467 |
| Added to NRHP | October 1, 1988 |
St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church is a historic building in Montgomery, Vermont. You can find it on Vermont Route 118. It was first known as the Union Episcopal Church when its group formed in 1821.
Building the church started in 1833 and finished in 1835. Bishop John Henry Hopkins officially opened it. In 1897, its name changed to St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church. The church stopped holding services in 1974. Now, the Montgomery Historical Society owns it, and it's called Pratt Hall. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1988. It's a great early example of a special building style called Gothic Revival architecture in Vermont.
About Pratt Hall
Pratt Hall is in the village of Montgomery. It stands near a triangular park, just off Vermont Route 118. It's a one-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outside walls are made of wooden boards. A square tower sticks out from the front of the building.
The tower has a pointed arch doorway at the bottom. On the sides, there are tall, narrow windows. Above the main entrance, there's a round window. The next part of the tower holds the bells. A decorative ledge separates this from the top section. The very top of the tower looks like the top of a castle, with a crenelated (notched) edge. Inside, you'll find fancy wooden decorations in the Gothic style.
A Look at Its History
The Episcopal church group in Montgomery was one of the first in the town. This was their very first church building. It was built between 1832 and 1835 on land bought in 1829.
This church is one of Vermont's oldest examples of Gothic Revival architecture. Its construction began soon after the first known building of this style was finished in Arlington. At first, it was a "union church," meaning different church groups could use it. But soon, only the Episcopalians used it, as other groups built their own churches.
As fewer people attended services, the church started offering services only in the summer by 1927. This was when more visitors came to town.
In 1972, the church leaders thought the building was unsafe and planned to tear it down. But the Montgomery Historical Society bought the building in 1974. They have been fixing it up and taking care of it ever since.
Besides using Pratt Hall for their own meetings, the society lets others use it. It's a popular spot for weddings, small concerts, talks, and other community events. The society named the building "Pratt Hall" to honor Lawrence Pratt. He was the main person who worked hard to save the building from being destroyed.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, Vermont
- St. Bartholomew's Church (disambiguation)
- Union Church (disambiguation)
