St. John's Congregational Church & Parsonage-Parish for Working Girls facts for kids

St. John's Congregational Church & Parsonage-Parish for Working Girls
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Massachusetts Show map of Massachusetts Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	69 Hancock St./643 Union St., Springfield, Massachusetts
Built	1911 (1911)
Architect	B. Hammett Seabury
Architectural style	English Revival, Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.	16000140
Added to NRHP	June 28, 2016

The St. John's Congregational Church and Parsonage-Parish for Working Girls are two important old buildings in Springfield, Massachusetts. They are located on Hancock and Union Streets. The church building was finished in 1911. It was built for a Black community that started in 1889. This church is a great example of English and Gothic Revival styles. The parsonage, built in 1913, is a good example of Colonial Revival style. Both buildings are very important to the history of Springfield's Black community. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. Today, a different church uses the old church building. The original St. John's congregation moved to a bigger church nearby. The parsonage building is still used by St. John's as a learning center.

History of St. John's Church

The St. John's church buildings are found in the Old Hill neighborhood of Springfield. The old church is at the corner of Union and Hancock Streets. The former parsonage is right next to it on Union Street. The new St. John's church, built in 2013, is across Union Street.

The historic church faces Hancock Street. It is a one-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and a shingled outside. This church was built in 1911. It was designed by B. Hammett Seabury, a famous architect from the area. The parsonage is a two-and-a-half-story wooden house. It was also designed by Seabury and finished in 1913.

Abolitionist Roots

The St. John's congregation has a long history. It started from one of the oldest Black churches in Springfield. This first church, called the Free Church, began in 1844. It was a very important place for the abolitionist movement. Abolitionists worked to end slavery. The Free Church was a key spot on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom.

A famous abolitionist named John Brown was part of this church in its early years. In 1889, the Free Church joined with another church. They formed the St. John's congregation.

Growing Community Needs

After the American Civil War, more and more Black people moved to Springfield. The church grew very quickly. By the early 1900s, the old church building was too small. The new church was built in 1911. This happened when Reverend William DeBerry was the church leader.

The church also built the parsonage next door in 1913. It was first used to teach and train young girls. There was once a similar building for boys, but it is no longer there. Under Reverend DeBerry's leadership, the church also got land in East Brookfield. They built Camp Atwater there. This was a summer camp for the church's young people. In the 1960s, the girls' training house became a meeting place for the church. The new St. John's church was built in 2013. The old church building is now used by a different church group.