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. It's built in the Gothic Revival style, which means it has a special kind of old architecture. Today, this building is home to the Harvard Historical Society. They use it to keep their museum and important historical 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 started much earlier, on June 27, 1776.
Before this building, the Baptist Society had another church building. They bought it from the town of Leominster, Massachusetts. That first building was moved across the street to become a home for the minister. Sadly, it burned down in 1910, but the Harvard Historical Society has an old photo of it.
The Still River Baptist Church was very active throughout the 1800s. Its members even helped start other churches nearby. In 1966, the Still River Baptist Society joined with another church in Harvard. They then sold their meetinghouse to the Harvard Historical Society. For a short time, another church group rented the building for their services.
The building from 1832 has some cool features. It has a bell in its steeple that might have come from an even older church. There's also a special pool for baptisms built into the stage. Plus, it has an old organ from 1870, made by Stevens & Company. This organ is so special that the Organ Historical Society has honored it. The Harvard Historical Society is working to fix up the organ.
The Church Society's Beginnings
On June 27, 1776, fourteen people signed an agreement to start a Baptist church in Harvard. Some of these first members included Jemima Blanchard, Stephen Gates, and Doctor Isaiah Parker. The church's first minister, Reverend Isaiah Parker, began his work on June 10, 1778.
In its early days, this Baptist church was different from the main church supported by the town. However, some Baptist members were important in town. They served on town committees and even went to the State House in Boston. Joseph Stone, one of the church's founders, became a state senator. Reverend Isaiah Parker was also a member of the House of Representatives for a time.
The Harvard Historical Society keeps some of the church's old records. The church was part of a group called the Warren (Baptist) Association. This group helped churches work to keep church and government separate.
The Harvard Historical Society
The Harvard Historical Society started in 1897. Today, they run a museum and keep historical documents in the Still River Baptist Church building. The Society holds educational events for students and the public. They also publish books and papers about local history.
The meeting house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it's recognized as an 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.
Historical Society Books
- 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
