White Meetinghouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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White Meetinghouse
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Location | Towle Hill Rd., Eaton, New Hampshire |
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Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
Built | 1844 |
Architect | Allard, Stephen |
Architectural style | Greek Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 80000274 |
Added to NRHP | May 15, 1980 |
The White Meetinghouse is a very old building in Eaton, New Hampshire. It is also known as the First Freewill Baptist Society Meetinghouse. This special building was built in 1844. It is a great example of a Greek Revival style meetinghouse that has not changed much over time.
In 1980, the White Meetinghouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site in the United States. Today, a local group takes care of the building. They use it for community events and sometimes for church services.
Contents
What is the White Meetinghouse Like?
The White Meetinghouse is in a quiet, country area in Eaton. It is a single-story building made of wood. It has a pointed roof, called a gable roof. The outside walls are covered with overlapping wooden boards, known as clapboards.
Inside the Meetinghouse
The front of the building is quite simple. It has two doors with narrow windows on the sides. These doors lead into small entry rooms. From these rooms, you can enter the main part of the building.
Inside, there are long wooden benches called pews. These pews face the front of the room. At the back, there are two rows of higher pews for the choir. All the pews are original, meaning they are from when the building was first made. Each pew has a number. These numbers show who helped pay to build the meetinghouse.
The White Meetinghouse does not have electricity. It is heated by a wood stove. A long pipe from the stove winds up to the chimney to let out smoke.
A Look at Its History
The White Meetinghouse was built in 1844. It was made for a group of people called Free Will Baptists. A local builder named Stephen Allard constructed the building. He also built other important buildings in the area.
The church group was largest around the time of the American Civil War (1861-1865). After the war, fewer people attended. The group eventually stopped meeting in the 1930s.
Today, the White Meetinghouse is a treasured part of Eaton's history. It helps people remember what life was like long ago.