St. John the Baptist Church (Wakefield, New Hampshire) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. John's Church, Rectory, and Parish Hall
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St. John the Baptist Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 118 High Street, Sanbornville, Wakefield, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 3.3 acres (1.3 ha) |
| Built | 1876-1877 |
| Architect | Haight, Charles C. |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84002519 |
| Added to NRHP | June 7, 1984 |
St. John the Baptist Church is a very old and important church in Sanbornville, a village within Wakefield, New Hampshire. It's an Episcopal church, which is a type of Christian church. This beautiful building was constructed between 1876 and 1877. It's a great example of a special building style called Carpenter Gothic architecture. Because of its history and unique design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means it's recognized as a significant historical place in the United States.
Contents
About the Church Buildings
St. John's Church sits on a triangular piece of land in Sanbornville. This land is bordered by High Street, Wakefield Road (which is also New Hampshire Route 153), and St. John Street. The church building itself is in the middle of this land. It faces west towards High Street.
The Church's Design
The church is a wonderful example of Gothic Revival architecture. This style brings back ideas from medieval Gothic cathedrals. A famous architect named Charles C. Haight designed it. This was one of his earlier projects. His design was partly inspired by a book called Rural Architecture from 1852 by Richard Upjohn. However, Haight added more fancy details to his design.
The church has an interesting shape, like a cross, but it's not perfectly even. It also has a tower that sticks out to the right of the front entrance.
Other Buildings: Rectory and Parish Hall
Next to the church, there are two other important buildings. The rectory was built in 1881. A rectory is the house where the church's priest or minister lives. The parish hall was added in 1894. A parish hall is a building used for church meetings, events, and community activities. Both the rectory and the parish hall show a common building style from the late Victorian era.
History of St. John's Church
The church was built between 1876 and 1877. It was built because of a special wish from Mrs. Josiah Low, who left money for it in her will. Her granddaughter helped make this wish come true. Other members of the Low family also gave money to help build the church.
Church Dedication and Growth
The church was officially opened and blessed on September 14, 1877. This special ceremony was led by Bishop William Woodruff Niles. He was the third bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire.
When it was first built, the church had a much smaller piece of land. But the Low family continued to be generous. They gave more gifts that allowed the church to buy the full 3.3 acres it has today. These gifts also helped pay for the rectory to be built.
Becoming a Full Parish
For many years, St. John's Church was a "mission" of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. This means it was a smaller church supported by the larger diocese. However, on June 14, 1961, St. John's Church became a full "parish." This means it became a self-supporting church with its own leadership.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Carroll County, New Hampshire
- St. John the Baptist Church (disambiguation)
