Union Church of Northeast Harbor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Union Church of Northeast Harbor |
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| Seaside United Church of Christ | |
1887 watercolor by Theodore Otto Langerfeldt
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| Location | Mount Desert Island |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | United Church of Christ |
| Previous denomination |
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| Website | Official website: https://www.seasideuccmdi.org |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Dedicated | July 17, 1889 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Peabody and Stearns |
| Architectural type | Shingle style |
| Years built | 1887–1889 |
| Construction cost | $17,989.39 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials |
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The Union Church of Northeast Harbor is a special old church located at 21 Summit Road in Northeast Harbor, Maine. It was designed by famous architects named Peabody and Stearns and built way back in 1887. This church is a great example of a building style called "Shingle style." It's so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. The people who go to this church are part of the United Church of Christ.
History of the Church
The idea for this church started in 1883. At first, people met in a small, one-room schoolhouse. By 1886, about 100 people were part of the group. Some lived there all year, and others were summer visitors.
They officially formed the Union Church Association. A man named Samuel N. Gilpatrick gave them the land for the church building. A special committee was formed to plan the church. It included Charles William Eliot, who spent his summers there, and brothers Danforth and Ansel Manchester.
In 1887, the committee picked a well-known architecture firm from Boston called Peabody and Stearns. This firm was one of the best in New England at that time. They were chosen to design the new church building.
The church building was finished in 1889. It was officially opened on July 17, 1889. The whole project, including building costs, was about $17,989.39.
Church Design and Style
The architects, Peabody and Stearns, also made changes to the church later. In 1913, they updated parts of the building, which cost about $2,314.82. This church is known for how naturally it fits into its surroundings. It also has some design ideas from Scandinavia.
The Union Church is on the northeast side of Summit Road. It's in a neighborhood in Northeast Harbor, on a spot called Schoolhouse Ledge. The church has a cross shape, which is called a cruciform structure. It is built using both stone and wood.
Most of the church is made from natural stones found in the area, called glacial till. It has carefully cut granite blocks, known as quoins, at the corners. There are also stone supports, called buttresses, that help hold up the walls.
The ends of the church's side sections, called the transepts, are covered with vertical wood planks. The roof is covered with wood shingles. A short, strong stone tower stands above the southeastern part of the building. The front of the church, which faces the street, shows its longest side. The main part of the church, called the nave, is on the left. The main entrance is just to the right of the south transept and has a covered porch with buttresses.
See also
