Stark Union Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Stark Union Church
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | NH 110, Stark, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1853 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83004089 |
| Added to NRHP | December 08, 1983 |
The Stark Union Church is a special old building in Stark, New Hampshire. It's also known as the Stark Church. This church was built way back in 1853. It was made for people from different Christian groups to worship together. This means it was a place for everyone, no matter their specific church.
The building is a great example of how churches were built in the middle of the 1800s. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This list helps protect important places in the United States. The Stark Union Church is still the only church in this small, quiet town.
Contents
What Does the Stark Union Church Look Like?
The Stark Union Church is easy to spot in the small village of Stark. It sits on the west side of New Hampshire Route 110. It's right where Northside Road meets the main road. Northside Road goes over the Upper Ammonoosuc River on the Stark Covered Bridge.
Building Style and Features
The church is a simple building made of wood. It has only one floor. The roof is shaped like a triangle, which is called a gabled roof. The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards called clapboards. The church faces south towards Northside Street. Its long side runs next to New Hampshire Route 110.
The front of the church looks balanced and the same on both sides. This is called symmetrical. It has two doors with a window in the middle. The doors and the window each have a slightly pointed decoration above them. This decoration is called a lintel. The windows on the sides of the church are also sash windows. These are windows that slide up and down. They have similar decorations.
The Church Tower
A two-part tower rises from the middle of the roof. The top part of the tower is an open bell tower. It has round arch openings where a bell would be. Each part of the tower has small, pointed decorations at its corners. These are called pinnacles. The very top of the tower has a low, castle-like decoration called crenellations.
Inside, the church is quite simple. The walls are smooth plaster. There are long wooden benches for people to sit on, which are called pews.
History of the Stark Union Church
The Stark Union Church was built in 1853. At that time, the small town of Stark had many different church groups. However, none of them had enough money on their own to build their own church. So, they decided to work together to build one church for everyone.
Who Owns the Church?
The church is still owned by a group called the Pew Owner's Association. This group was formed by the people who paid money to help build the church. They paid "subscription fees" to fund its construction. This church is a good example of a "vernacular" building. This means it was built using local styles and materials, rather than following strict architectural rules. It shows the simple, traditional style of a Greek Revival church in New England.
See also
