Bradford Center Meetinghouse

Last updated
Bradford Center Meetinghouse
BradfordNH CenterMeetinghouse.jpg
USA New Hampshire location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location18 Rowe Mountain Road, Bradford, New Hampshire
Coordinates 43°14′10″N71°58′8″W / 43.23611°N 71.96889°W / 43.23611; -71.96889 Coordinates: 43°14′10″N71°58′8″W / 43.23611°N 71.96889°W / 43.23611; -71.96889
Arealess than one acre
Built1838
Architectural styleGreek Revival
NRHP reference No. 13000384 [1]
Added to NRHPJune 14, 2013

The Bradford Center Meetinghouse is a historic church at 18 Rowe Mountain Road in Bradford, New Hampshire. Built in 1838 in what was then the town center, it is a well-preserved example of rural Greek Revival church architecture. The meetinghouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. [1]

Contents

Description and history

The Bradford Center Meetinghouse stands in what is now an out-of-the-way location south of the modern town center, on the north side of Rowe Mountain Road a short way east of its junction with Center, West and County Roads. It is set among other trappings of the early town center: a grassy common and the town's first cemetery. The building is a typical rural 19th-century New England church, a wood-frame building resting on a granite foundation. The front facade of the church features a pair of doorways, each flanked by sidelight windows and pilasters supporting an entablature. A single 12/8 window is centered above the doorways, while the side walls each have three 20/20 windows. The tower has a belfry supported by eight columns, and still houses the original 1838 bell. Both the interior and exterior have experienced only relatively modest changes since the building's construction. [2]

The Greek Revival church was built in 1838, in response to state legislation mandating the separation of church and state. The town's first meetinghouse, built in 1796, had been used for both religious and civic purposes; it would later be dismantled and moved to a location nearer the railroad tracks, where it now serves as the Bradford Town Hall. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

Round Church (Richmond, Vermont) United States historic place

The Round Church, also known as the Old Round Church, is a historic church on Round Church Road in Richmond, Vermont. Built in 1812–1813, it is a rare, well-preserved example of a sixteen-sided meeting house. It was built to serve as the meeting place for the town as well as five Protestant congregations. Today it is maintained by the Richmond Historical Society and is open to the public during the summer and early fall, It is also available for weddings and other events. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1996 for the rarity of its form and its exceptional state of preservation.

Francestown Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Francestown Meetinghouse is a historic meeting house on Route 136 in the center of Francestown, New Hampshire. The white clapboarded building was built c. 1801-03, and rebuilt in 1837, at which time it received its Greek Revival styling. It was used as a church until 1987, and for town meetings until 1833. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. It is now managed by a nonprofit as a community resource.

Dorchester Community Church United States historic place

The Dorchester Community Church is a historic church building off NH 118 in Dorchester, New Hampshire. Built in 1828 and rebuilt on a smaller scale in 1883, it is a well-preserved local example of Greek Revival architecture. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, and included in the Dorchester Common Historic District in 1985.

Park Hill Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Park Hill Meetinghouse is a historic meeting house on Park Hill in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. Built in 1764, and extensively restyled in the early 19th century, it is a fine example of Federal and Greek Revival architecture, influenced by the work of regionally prominent architect Elias Carter. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is now owned by the Westmoreland Park Hill Meetinghouse and Historical Society.

Richmond Community Church United States historic place

The Richmond Community Church is a historic church building on Fitzwilliam Road in Richmond, New Hampshire, United States. Built in 1838, it is a distinctive regionally early example of Greek Revival church architecture executed in brick. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It is now owned by a Methodist congregation.

Third Fitzwilliam Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Third Fitzwilliam Meetinghouse is a historic meeting house on the village green in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. It presently serves as Fitzwilliam Town Hall. Built in 1817, it is a high-quality example of period church architecture, based closely on the work of regionally noted architect Elias Carter. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, and was included in the Fitzwilliam Common Historic District in 1997.

Cotton Mountain Community Church United States historic place

The Cotton Mountain Community Church, also known as the Wolfeborough, Brookfield and Wakefield Meetinghouse, is a historic church on Stoneham Road in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, near the town line with Brookfield. Built about 1852, it is a well-preserved example of a rural New England meeting house with vernacular Greek Revival style. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Since 1957, when it stopped being used for services, it has been cared for by a local nonprofit group.

White Meetinghouse United States historic place

The White Meetinghouse, also known as the First Freewill Baptist Society Meetinghouse, is a historic meeting house on Towle Hill Road, south of Eaton Center, New Hampshire. Built in 1844, it is a well-preserved and little-altered example of a vernacular Greek Revival meeting house. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The building is now maintained by a local community organization, and is used for community events and occasional services.

Center Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Center Meetinghouse is a historic meetinghouse on NH 103 in Newbury, New Hampshire. The Federal-style church building was built c. 1832, a relatively late date for the style. It replaced a 1797 meetinghouse that had been located about a mile away. It is further believed to be distinctive in New Hampshire as the only Federal period church in which the pulpit is located at the rear of the auditorium. Originally built to be used by multiple religious denominations, it is now operated by a local nonprofit organization as a community center. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Lower Warner Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Lower Warner Meetinghouse is a historic meetinghouse at 232 East Main Street in Warner, New Hampshire. Built in 1844-45, it is a little-altered example of a 19th-century Greek Revival church, which has retained nearly all of its original interior elements, as well as its exterior except for the steeple, lost to a lightning strike c. 1893. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Unitarian Church (Hampton Falls, New Hampshire) United States historic place

The Unitarian Church is a historic church on Exeter Road in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. Built in 1838, it is a rare example of an in antes Greek Revival temple front in the state, and is distinguished by the presence of Victorian trompe-l'œil panels and ribbing on its interior walls. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is presently used for services in the summertime.

New Durham Meetinghouse and Pound United States historic place

The New Durham Meetinghouse and Pound are a historic colonial meeting house and town pound on Old Bay Road in New Durham, New Hampshire. Built in 1770, the wood-frame meeting house stands at what was, until about 1850, the center of New Durham, and was originally used for both civic and religious purposes. Now a public park, the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Bell Hill Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Bell Hill Meetinghouse is a historic church building located at 191 Bell Hill Road in Otisfield, Maine. The building was the work of local master builder Nathan Nutting Jr. (1804-1867), having since remained a significant example of transitional Federal-Greek Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 to ensure its preservation.

Loudon Town Hall United States historic place

Loudon Town Hall is a historic New England meetinghouse at 433 Clough Hill Road in Loudon, New Hampshire. Built in 1779 and extensively restyled in 1847, this Greek Revival structure was used for many years for both religious and civic purposes; it now serves principally as a church, housing a Free Will Baptist congregation. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990; it is one of the oldest civic buildings in Merrimack County.

Bradford Town Hall (New Hampshire) United States historic place

The Bradford Town Hall is located on West Main Street in Bradford, New Hampshire. Built in the 1860s with timbers from an earlier meeting house, it has been the town's center of civic affairs since then. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Bedford Town Hall United States historic place

The Bedford Town Hall is located at 70 Bedford Center Road in Bedford, New Hampshire. Built in 1910, it is a prominent early work of Chase R. Whitcher, a noted architect of northern New England in the early 20th century. The building is the third town hall to stand on this site, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

North Hampton Town Hall United States historic place

The North Hampton Town Hall is located at 231 Atlantic Avenue in North Hampton, New Hampshire. Built in 1844, it was the town's first purpose-built municipal building, and continues to be used as such. Its construction includes materials recovered from older dual-purpose religious and civic buildings, and its tower houses a Revere bell. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013, and the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Union Meetinghouse-Universalist Church United States historic place

The Union Meetinghouse or Universalist Church is a historic church building at 97 Amesbury Road in Kensington, New Hampshire. Built in 1839-40, it is a well-preserved and little-altered example of a mid-19th century Greek Revival rural church. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013, and continues to be used for summer services.

Enfield Town Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Enfield Town Meetinghouse is a historic Greek Revival style meeting house located on Enfield Street at South Road in Enfield, Connecticut. Completed in 1775 and moved and restyled in 1848, it hosted the municipal government until the 1920s. Now managed by the local historical society as a museum, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Strafford Village Historic District United States historic place

The Strafford Village Historic District encompasses the historic village center of Strafford, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1768, the village center was developed in the 1790s, and saw most of its growth before 1840, resulting in a fine assortment of predominantly Greek Revival buildings. Notable exceptions include the 1799 meetinghouse, and the Justin Smith Morrill Homestead, a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture built by native son Justin Smith Morrill. The district, centered on the town green at the junction of Morrill Highway and Brook Road, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 "NRHP nomination for Bradford Center Meetinghouse" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2014-02-24.