East Parish Meeting House

Last updated
East Parish Meeting House
HaverhillMA EastParishMeetinghouse.jpg
USA Massachusetts location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location150 Middle Road,
Haverhill, Massachusetts
Coordinates 42°48′1″N71°2′1″W / 42.80028°N 71.03361°W / 42.80028; -71.03361
Built1838
Architectural styleColonial
NRHP reference No. 11000149 [1]
Added to NRHPMarch 29, 2011

The East Parish Meeting House, also known as the Fourth Parish Meeting House, is a historic church and meeting house on the rural east side of Haverhill, Massachusetts that is beautifully restored and currently used as a venue for weddings, services, open mics, community dinners and meetings, and more. The 1+12-story wood frame Greek Revival building was built in 1838, replacing a previous meeting house that was built on the site in 1744. The Meeting House was used for regular services until 1906, when its congregation merged with the nearby Riverside Memorial Church. The East Parish Meeting House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. [1] The building is now owned by a neighborhood association.

Contents

Description and history

Charming, beautifully restored 1838 historic Meeting House listed on National and State Registers of Historic Places. Photo circa 2021. The historic 1838 East Parish Meeting House of Haverhill, Massachusetts; September 2021.jpg
Charming, beautifully restored 1838 historic Meeting House listed on National and State Registers of Historic Places. Photo circa 2021.

The East Parish Meeting House is set on the west side of Middle Road in a rural part of eastern Haverhill. The building faces roughly southeast, and is a wood-frame structure with a clapboarded exterior, a front-facing gable roof and a granite foundation. Four enormous windows flood the sanctuary with sunlight. The three-stage steeple tower includes a steeple box, and belfry and steeple spire which were restored in 2014. The building shows simple Greek Revival styling, with narrow corner boards and entablature, with a fully pedimented gable. The pair of entrances are the most elaborate element, with flanking pilasters rising to entablatures with a projecting cornice above each entrance. Square sash windows are located above each entrance. The interior is largely unaltered since the building's construction in 1838, with a large sanctuary and rows of bench pews, and a balcony or gallery overlooking the sanctuary. A gas-lit chandelier installed in the 19th century and oil lamps along the walls help light the building at night. Electricity is available via a pole on the property site. The property also includes the archaeological remnants of a series of carriage sheds that stood south of the main building until they were destroyed by fire in 1928. [2]

Haverhill's Fourth Parish was organized in 1743 and had its first meeting the following year. As its name implies, it was the third parish to split from Haverhill's First Parish, established in 1641; the Third Parish was eventually incorporated as Methuen. The congregation was always relatively small, and did not always have a full-time minister, meeting irregularly for 20 years from the 1770s to the 1790s. Its original meetinghouse was torn down in 1838, replaced by the current building. However, funding continued to be limited, and the congregation eventually merged with the nearby Riverside Congregational Church in 1906. Many of the East Parish records were apparently lost when that church burned down. The building was maintained by the East Parish Sewing Society, which held social events in the building. The building continues to be maintained by a local non-profit community organization, and is used for occasional non-denominational religious services and is available for many other purposes. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osterville Baptist Church</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

The Osterville Baptist Church is an historic Baptist church building at 824 Main Street in the Osterville village of Barnstable, Massachusetts. The white clapboarded wood-frame structure was built in 1837 for a congregation formed two years earlier. It is one of the older buildings in Osterville, and is a fine example of the Greek Revival with Gothic Revival elements. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universalist Society Meetinghouse</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

The Universalist Society Meetinghouse is an historic Greek Revival meetinghouse at 3 River Road in Orleans, Massachusetts. Built in 1834, it was the only Universalist church built in Orleans, and is architecturally a well-preserved local example of Greek Revival architecture. The Meeting House is now the home of the Orleans Historical Society and is known as the Meeting House Museum. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methodist Episcopal Society of Tyringham</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

Methodist Episcopal Society of Tyringham is a historic church at 128-130 Main Road in Tyringham, Massachusetts, and is presently the only church standing in the community. The property includes a Greek Revival church building built in 1844, and a parsonage house next door. Between 1844 and 1907, the church was also used for town meetings. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Congregational Church (Stoneham, Massachusetts)</span> Historic church in Massachusetts, United States

The First Congregational Church is an historic church in Stoneham, Massachusetts, United States. Built in 1840, it is a fine local example of Greek Revival architecture, and is a landmark in the town center. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1984. The church is affiliated with the United Church of Christ; the current pastor is the Rev. Ken McGarry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goffstown Congregational Church</span> Historic church in New Hampshire, United States

The Congregational Church of Goffstown is a historic Congregational church building in the center of Goffstown, New Hampshire, United States. It is a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (CCCC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield Town Hall and Howard Memorial Methodist Church</span> Historic church in New Hampshire, United States

The Springfield Town Hall and Howard Memorial Methodist Church, also known as the Springfield Union Meeting House, is a historic civic and religious building on Four Corners Road in Springfield, New Hampshire, USA. Built about 1797 and restyled in 1851, it is a rare surviving example in the state of a meeting house whose functions include both civic and religious uses. It is also a good example of Greek Revival and Gothic architecture, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Baptist Church (Waterboro, Maine)</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The First Baptist Church, also known as the Old Corner Church, is a historic church at West and Federal Streets in Waterboro, Maine. Built in 1803-04 and altered to a Greek Revival appearance in 1849, it retains significant characteristics of more traditional Federal period meetinghouses. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Harpswell Free Will Baptist Church</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The East Harpswell Free Will Baptist Church is a historic church on Cundys Harbor Road in East Harpswell, Maine. Built in 1843, it is a little-altered modest Greek Revival structure, with a reversed interior layout that is now extremely rare within the state. It has been used only sporadically since the early 20th century, but is maintained by a local community group. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universalist Meeting House</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The Universalist Meeting House is a historic church on Maine State Route 231 in the Intervale area of New Gloucester, Maine. Built in 1839, it is a fine example of a Greek Revival church in a rural context. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elm Street Congregational Church and Parish House</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The Elm Street Congregational Church and Parish House is a historic church complex at Elm and Franklin Streets in Bucksport, Maine. It includes a Greek Revival church building, built in 1838 to a design by Benjamin S. Deane, and an 1867 Second Empire parish house. The church congregation was founded in 1803; its present pastor is the Rev. Stephen York. The church and parish house were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Baptist Church (East Lamoine, Maine)</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The First Baptist Church is a historic church building at 362 Lamoine Beach Road in East Lamoine, Maine. The wood frame Greek Revival building was built in 1832 by a noted local builder/architect, and was altered in 1879 to include a Victorian tower and porches. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Intervale Meeting House and Common</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The Middle Intervale Meeting House and Common is a historic church at 757 Intervale Road in Bethel, Maine. Built in 1816, this simple wood-frame structure served as a meeting house for both religious and civic purposes, and has been little-altered since 1857, when it was given its present Greek Revival features. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford Congregational Church and Cemetery</span> Historic site in Maine, United States

The Oxford Congregational Church and Cemetery is a historic church and cemetery in Oxford, Maine, located on the east side of King Street, 0.2 miles (0.32 km) north of its junction with Maine State Route 121. Built in 1842-3, the church is architecturally significant as a good local example of Greek Revival and Gothic Revival style, and is artistically significant for a decorative stenciled trompe-l'œil artwork on the ceiling and sanctuary end wall. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincolnville Center Meeting House</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The Lincolnville United Christian Church, formerly the Lincolnville Center Meeting House, is a historic church in Lincolnville Center, Maine. Built in 1820, the main church building is one of the least-altered Federal period churches in the state of Maine, with features reminiscent of earlier colonial-era meeting houses. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The church congregation is affiliated with the United Church of Christ; its current pastor is Rev. Elizabeth Barnum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starksboro Village Meeting House</span> Historic church in Vermont, United States

The Starksboro Village Meeting House is a historic church and town hall on Vermont Route 116 in the village center of Starksboro, Vermont. It was built in 1838 as a cooperative venture between three church congregations and the town, and is a fine local example of Gothic Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guilford Center Meeting House</span> Historic church in Vermont, United States

The Guilford Center Meeting House, formerly the Guilford Center Universalist Church, is a historic building on Guilford Center Road in Guilford, Vermont. Built in 1837, it is a well-preserved example of transitional Greek Revival architecture. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It is now owned by the local historical society as a community meeting and event space.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Housatonic Congregational Church</span> United States historic place

The Housatonic Congregational Church is a historic church building at 1089 Main Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Built in 1892 it is a prominent local example of Queen Anne Revival architecture, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. It is now home to the Unitarian Universalist Meeting of South Berkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Meeting House (Whiting, Maine)</span> Historic church in Maine, United States

The Union Meeting House, also known as the Whiting Community Church, is a historic church building at 153 United States Route 1 in Whiting, Maine. Built in 1836, it is a distinctive local example of transitional Federal-Greek Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mt. Pisgah Lutheran Church</span> Historic church in Indiana, United States

Mount Pisgah Lutheran Church, also known in its early years as the First Lutheran Church and First English Lutheran Church and more recently as The Sanctuary on Penn, is located at 701 North Pennsylvania Street in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The historic church was built by the city's first Lutheran congregation, which organized in 1837, and was its third house of worship. The former church, whose present-day name is The Sanctuary on Penn, is operated as a for-profit event venue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Fairlee Center Church</span> Historic church in Vermont, United States

The West Fairlee Center Church is a historic church building at Middlebrook and Bear Notch Roads in West Fairlee, Vermont. Built in 1855, it is a fine and little-altered example of rural Greek Revival architecture, also notable for the association of its congregation with Nathaniel Niles, a prominent local minister, landowner, and politician. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. 1 2 "NRHP nomination for East Parish Meeting House". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-01-15.