First Baptist Church (Waterboro, Maine)

Last updated
First Baptist Church
WaterboroME FirstBaptistChurch.jpg
USA Maine location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Nearest city Waterboro, Maine
Coordinates 43°32′16″N70°44′12″W / 43.53778°N 70.73667°W / 43.53778; -70.73667 Coordinates: 43°32′16″N70°44′12″W / 43.53778°N 70.73667°W / 43.53778; -70.73667
Arealess than one acre
Built1849
Architectural style Greek Revival
NRHP reference No. 88000886 [1]
Added to NRHPJune 28, 1988

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. [1]

Contents

Description and history

The Old Corner Church is located on a rise overlooking the southwest corner of West and Federal Streets, west of the main village of the town of Waterboro. It is a rectangular wood frame structure, about 40 by 50 feet (12 m × 15 m) in size, with a front-facing gable roof, clapboard siding, and a granite foundation obscured by a wooden water table. Its Greek Revival features include corner pilasters rising to a broad entablature, and a fully pedimented gable. The main facade faces east, and is symmetrically arranged, with a pair of entrances, each flanked by pilasters and topped by an entablature. At the gallery level there are four sash windows. The side walls each have five triple-hung sash windows, with the pilasters, entablature and water table continued from the front. [2]

The entrances lead into a narrow vestibule area, from which two stairs (one now closed off) lead to the gallery. The interior has rows of bench pews leading to a raised sanctuary area, with additional pews at the sides of the sanctuary. The sanctuary houses the pulpit, organ, and seating for deacons, with a raised area at the rear set off by an ornate stained woodwork balustrade. [2]

The church was built in 1803-04 for a Baptist congregation organized in 1791. When built, this building originally had a gallery extending around three sides; this was reduced to a rear gallery when the building received its Greek Revival treatment in 1849. Despite these stylistic alterations (as well as the addition of a pressed-tin roof around the turn of the 20th century), the building retains a clearer indication of its Federal period roots than other such buildings in the state. This church was in active use until about 1947; it is still maintained by the local Baptist congregation, and is used for special events. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

Addison Baptist Church United States historic place

The Addison Community Baptist Church is a historic church building at 4970 Vermont Route 22A in the village center of Addison, Vermont. Built in 1816 and restyled in 1849, it is one of Vermont's oldest Baptist churches, and a good local example of Greek Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 as Addison Baptist Church.

Indian River Baptist Church (Addison, Maine) United States historic place

The Indian River Baptist Church is a historic former church building on Maine State Route 187, near its crossing of the Indian River in Addison, Maine. Built in 1853-54, it is one of the community's most sophisticated architectural structures, exhibiting transitional Greek Revival and Italianate styling. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The building is now maintained by a local nonprofit organization.

West Durham Methodist Church United States historic place

The West Durham Methodist Church is an historic Methodist church at 17 Runaround Pond Road in West Durham, Maine. Built in the early 19th century and significantly restyled in 1867, it is a fine example of Greek Revival architecture with added Italianate features. The congregation for which it was built grew out of a Methodist revival meeting held at the site in 1804, and was one of the first Methodist congregations in the state. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. It is presently unused.

Osterville Baptist Church United States historic place

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.

Universalist Society Meetinghouse United States historic place

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.

Springfield Town Hall and Howard Memorial Methodist Church United States historic place

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. 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.

East Harpswell Free Will Baptist Church United States historic place

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.

Universalist Meeting House United States historic place

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.

Union Church (Naples, Maine) United States historic place

Union Church is a historic church on United States Route 302 in Naples, Maine. Built in 1857, it is an excellent local example of Greek Revival architecture with Gothic features. Built for use by three different church groups, it now serves as a summer church and community hall. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

Union Church (Phillips, Maine) United States historic place

The Union Church, now Phillips Congregational Church, is a historic church on Main and Pleasant Streets in Phillips, Maine. Built in 1835, this Greek Revival church is the oldest religious building in the small community, and a distinctive local landmark. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.

Elm Street Congregational Church and Parish House United States historic place

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. It is a congregational member of the United Church of Christ.

St. Johns Episcopal Church (Dresden Mills, Maine) United States historic place

St. John's Episcopal Church is a historic church on the south side of Maine State Route 27 at Blinn Hill Road in Dresden Mills, Maine. Built in 1832, it is a distinctive architectural blend of Federal, Greek Revival and Gothic Revival styling. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

Middle Intervale Meeting House and Common United States historic place

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.

Oxford Congregational Church and Cemetery United States historic place

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.

Free Will Baptist Church and Cemetery United States historic place

The Free Will Baptist Church and Cemetery is a historic church property on Church Turn Road in North Islesboro, Maine. Built in 1843 and enlarged in the 1890s, the church is a fine example of Greek Revival architecture, and is particularly noted for its well-preserved mid-19th century stenciled artwork, whose quality and level of preservation are among the best in the state. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. It is now owned by a local nonprofit organization.

Post Mills Church United States historic place

The Post Mills Church is a historic church at 449 Vermont Route 244 in the Post Mills village of Thetford, Vermont. Built in 1818 and remodeled in 1855, it is an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture, with extremely rare late 19th century stencilwork on its interior walls and ceiling. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. The congregation is affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

East Parish Meeting House United States historic place

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. The 1-1/2 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. The building is now owned by a neighborhood association.

Union Meeting House (Whiting, Maine) United States historic place

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.

Union Meeting House (Appleton, Maine) United States historic place

The Union Meeting House is a historic church at 2875 Sennebec Road in Appleton, Maine. Built in 1848, it is a fine local example of Greek Revival architecture. It has served a variety of congregations, and housed the town library for a time. It is now owned by the local historical society. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

Robinhood Free Meetinghouse United States historic place

The Robinhood Free Meetinghouse is a historic church building at 210 Robinhood Road in Georgetown, Maine. Built in 1856, it is a modest example of vernacular Greek Revival architecture, distinctive as one of Maine's few rural 19th-century churches to have its sanctuary space on the second floor. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016; it has recently been converted for use as a restaurant.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 "NRHP nomination for First Baptist Church". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-06-08.