Union Church (North Harpswell, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Union Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | ME 123, North Harpswell, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1841 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000889 |
| Added to NRHP | June 28, 1988 |
The Union Church is a very old and special church located on Harpswell Neck Road (Maine State Route 123) in North Harpswell, Maine. It was built way back in 1841. This church is unique because it mixes two cool building styles: Greek Revival and Gothic Revival. Over the years, different church groups used it. Today, the Harpswell Garden Club takes care of it. In 1988, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
What Does Union Church Look Like?
The Union Church stands on the east side of Harpswell Neck Road. This road is the main route through the Harpswell area. The church is in a small group of buildings in North Harpswell village. It's just a short distance south of Bear Paw Road.
The church is a one-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and its outer walls are covered with clapboard siding. The building sits on a strong foundation made of granite. It doesn't have a tall tower like some churches.
The front of the church faces west towards the road. It looks balanced and even on both sides. The main entrance is in the middle. It has decorative columns, called pilasters, with pointed arch designs. Above the entrance is a flat, decorative piece called an entablature. On each side of the entrance are windows that can be pushed up to open. Outside these windows are more tall, decorative columns. These columns hold up a triangular roof section called a pediment.
Inside, the church looks much like it did when it was first built. There's an entry area, called a vestibule. From here, two doors lead into the main part of the church, called the nave. The nave has long wooden benches, known as pews. These pews have low doors to enter them.
A Quick History of Union Church
People usually say the church was built in 1841. However, it's not totally clear which religious groups used it first. The only old paper that mentions this date is from December 1840. In it, thirty local people promised to buy pews in the church they planned to build.
A group called the Universalists started using the church in 1844. But their group became smaller by the 1870s. After that, Congregationalists used the church. The Congregationalists stopped using the church in the 1920s.
The church then sat empty for a long time, until 1969. That's when the Harpswell Garden Club took over. They worked hard to fix up the church. Now, they are the ones who keep it looking good and take care of it.
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