Still River Baptist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Still River Baptist Church
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Still River Baptist Church
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Harvard, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1832 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001479 |
| Added to NRHP | December 13, 1996 |
The Still River Baptist Church (also known as the Still River Meetinghouse) is a historic building in Harvard, Massachusetts. Today, it is home to the Harvard Historical Society. This beautiful building was built in the Gothic Revival style. It is located at 213 Still River Road. The building now holds the Harvard Historical Society's museum and its old records.
Contents
History of the Church Building
The Still River Baptist Society built this meeting house in 1832. They used it for their weekly church services. The Baptist Society itself was started much earlier, on June 27, 1776.
Before this building, the Baptist Society used another building. They bought it from the town of Leominster, Massachusetts. That building used to be a "Standing Order" church. This was the official church supported by the town back then.
When the new meeting house was finished, the Baptist Society moved their first building. They moved it across the street to 218 Still River Road. It became a parsonage, which is a home for the church minister. Sadly, that original building burned down in 1910. The Harvard Historical Society has a photo of it.
Changes Over Time
The Still River Baptist Church was very active throughout the 1800s. Its members even helped start many other churches nearby. In 1966, the Still River Baptist Society joined with Harvard's "Evangelical Congregational Church." They then sold their meeting house to the Harvard Historical Society. For a short time, another church group, the Episcopalians, rented the building for their services.
The building from 1832 still has some cool features. It has a large bell in its steeple. People think this bell might have come from the original Congregational Church. There's also a special pool built into the stage for baptisms. Plus, it has an old organ from 1870 made by Stevens & Company. The Organ Historical Society has recognized this organ for its historical importance. The Harvard Historical Society is currently working to fix up the organ.
The Baptist Church Society
On June 27, 1776, fourteen people signed an agreement to start a Baptist church in Harvard. These people included Jemima Blanchard, Huldah Edes, and Doctor Isaiah Parker. The church's first minister was Reverend Isaiah Parker. He officially started his role on June 10, 1778.
In its early days, this Baptist church was different from the main church in Harvard. The main church was supported by the town. However, some Baptist members were still important in town. They served on town committees. Some even went to the State House in Boston. For example, Joseph Stone, one of the church founders, became a state senator. Reverend Isaiah Parker was also a member of the House of Representatives for a time.
Some of the church's old records are kept at the Harvard Historical Society. The church was part of the Warren (Baptist) Association. This group helped churches work to keep church and government separate. Letters written by Reverend Parker and others are in the Isaac Backus Collection. This collection is at the Andover Newton Theological School. These letters also have information about the church's early members.
Harvard Historical Society
The Harvard Historical Society was started in 1897. It now runs a museum and keeps old records in the Still River Baptist Church building. The Society hosts fun learning events for local students and the public. They also publish historical stories from time to time. The meeting house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it's a very important historical site. The Society's office is usually open to visitors on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. You can also visit by making an appointment.
Publications by the Historical Society
The Harvard Historical Society has published several books about the town's past:
- History of Harvard, 1894-1941 put together by Ida Harris
- Directions of a Town (1977) put together by Robert Anderson
- The Harvard Album (1997) in memory of Elvira Scorgie
See also
