United Baptist Church of Lakeport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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United Baptist Church of Lakeport
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 Location in New Hampshire
Location in the United States
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| Location | 35 Park St., Laconia, New Hampshire |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architect | George H. Guernsey |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001198 |
| Added to NRHP | June 06, 1985 |
The United Baptist Church of Lakeport is a very old and special church located at 35 Park Street in the village of Lakeport, which is part of Laconia, New Hampshire, USA. People also know it as the Lake Village Free Baptist Church or Park Street Baptist Church. This church was built in 1891 after a fire burned down an older church that was there before. It's a great example of Late Victorian architecture, which means it has a mix of different styles from that time. Because of its history and unique look, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Contents
About the Church Building
The United Baptist Church of Lakeport stands in the Lakeport village. It is on a piece of land that reaches both Park Street and Railroad Avenue.
Building Design and Features
The church building is made of wood and is about two and a half stories tall. It has a roof that slopes down very steeply. The building's shape is like a cross, with wide sections sticking out from the sides. These sections are called transepts.
On the front of the church, facing Park Street, one side of the transept has a tall tower with two main parts. This tower has a cone-shaped roof on top, like a witch's hat. On the other side of the transept, there is a square tower with five different levels.
The bottom part of the church is made of brick. The upper parts are covered with different kinds of decorative wooden shingles. These shingles are cut into interesting shapes. The building also has fancy corner boards and trim that make it look even more special. Most of the windows have rounded tops, just like the openings in the main tower where the bells are.
Inside the Church
This church was built in 1891 by a group called the Lake Village Free Will Baptist congregation. Its outside design is in a style called Victorian Romanesque. This style often uses round arches and strong, heavy shapes. The inside of the church, where people gather for services, is designed in a style called Federal architecture. This style is known for being simple and elegant. The church can seat up to 400 people. On the first floor, there are also rooms for fellowship and Sunday School classes.
Church History
The church group that eventually became the United Baptist Church started a very long time ago in 1774. It was known as Laconia's First Church and was located on Parade Road. Over the years, the church group changed many times.
Merging of Churches
The United Baptist Church as it is today was formed in 1934. This happened when two different Baptist churches decided to join together. One was the Union Avenue Baptist Church, which had a certain set of beliefs called Calvinism. The other was the Park Street Baptist Church, which had different beliefs known as Free Will theology.
After they merged, the Union Avenue Baptist Church building was taken down. The Park Street Church building became the home for the new combined group.
Current Affiliations
Next door to the church on Park Street, there is a separate building called a parish house. This building holds the church offices. It used to be painted white, but a few years ago, it was repainted to match the original colors from the 1800s. The church group is connected with the American Baptist Churches of Vermont/New Hampshire and the American Baptist Churches USA.
See also
