First Unitarian Church of Marietta

Last updated
First Unitarian Church Of Marietta
First Unitarian Church Of Marietta.jpg
Front of the church
USA Ohio location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location232 3rd St., Marietta, Ohio
Coordinates 39°24′58″N81°27′11″W / 39.41611°N 81.45306°W / 39.41611; -81.45306 Coordinates: 39°24′58″N81°27′11″W / 39.41611°N 81.45306°W / 39.41611; -81.45306
AreaLess than 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1855 (1855)
ArchitectJohn M. Slocomb
Architectural style Gothic Revival
Part of Marietta Historic District (ID74001646)
NRHP reference No. 73001548 [1]
Added to NRHPOctober 3, 1973

The First Unitarian Church of Marietta is a historic Unitarian Universalist church in the city of Marietta, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1869, it uses a building constructed in 1858 for one of its two predecessor churches; this building's high-quality architecture has led to its designation as a historic site.

In January 1830, Nahum Ward published an advertisement in the Marietta Intelligencer seeking to find other friends of liberal religion, and the resulting group organized as a Unitarian church in the following month. [2] :395 Members laid the cornerstone of their building in July 1855, and by the time of the building's dedication in June 1857, the congregation had paid approximately $25,000 for lot, materials, furnishings, and labor. The original form of the congregation ceased to exist in May 1869 at its merger with the city's Universalist church, which itself had been founded in 1817 but suffered severe damage to its property in an 1860 flood. The combined church took the name of "First Universalist Church of Marietta". [2] :396

Built of brick on a stone foundation and featuring additional elements of stone, the First Unitarian Church is a Gothic Revival building. [1] Pilasters divide the facade into three bay, with the doorway in the center, and the side is divided into five. The left bay of the facade, from the perspective of a viewer on the street, is occupied by the base of a square tower nearly twice the height of the rest of the building; while shorter windows in the tower and facade sit below similar second-story windows, and the side windows occupy the height of both stories, tall third-story windows are set near the top of the tower, and the pilasters on all four corners of the tower, similar to those on the rest of the building, are crowned with pointed pinnacles. The building's general shape is that of a front-gable rectangle, with small-size crenellations atop the edges, and the Gothic Revival style is typified by the ogive windows and doorways in the facade and side. [3] Constructed under the direction of architect John M. Slocomb, the building is one of the region's earliest extant Gothic Revival churches. Both stonework and brickwork were completed by local craftsmen, the bricks being made from clay extracted from Sacra Via, the ceremonial walls built by the Mound Builders near the edge of the Muskingum River. [4]

In October 1973, the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, qualifying both because of its architecture and its close connection to Nahum Ward, who was deemed a significant resident of nineteenth-century Marietta. It was the last of four Marietta locations to be listed on the Register in 1973, following the Mound Cemetery Mound in February and the Wilcox-Mills House and Erwin Hall at Marietta College in April. It is also a part of the Marietta Historic District, listed on the Register in 1974, which embraces more than two thousand buildings across 900 acres (360 ha) of the city. [1]

Related Research Articles

First Church of Christ, Unitarian United States historic place

The First Church of Christ, Unitarian, also known as First Church of Christ, Lancaster and colloquially as "the Bulfinch Church", is a historic congregation with its meeting house located at 725 Main Street facing the Common in Lancaster, Massachusetts. The church's fifth meeting house, built in 1816, was designed by architect Charles Bulfinch, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, recognizing it as one of Bulfinch's finest works.

First Universalist Church (Auburn, Maine) United States historic place

The First Universalist Church is a historic church building on the corner of Pleasant, Elm, and Spring Streets in Auburn, Maine. It was built in 1876 to a design by John Stevens of Boston, Massachusetts, and has been a significant landmark in the city since its construction. It is a fine local example of Gothic Revival architecture executed in brick, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

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.

First Universalist Church (Somerville, Massachusetts) United States historic place

The First Universalist Church is a historic Universalist Church building at 125 Highland Avenue in Somerville, Massachusetts. The Romanesque church building was built between 1916 and 1923 to a design by Ralph Adams Cram, and is the only example of his work in Somerville. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. It is currently owned by the Highland Masonic Building Association, and is the home of King Solomon's Lodge AF & AM, the builders of the Bunker Hill Monument.

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.

Union Church (South Wolfeboro, New Hampshire) United States historic place

The Union Church is a historic church on South Main Street in South Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Built in 1845 for the use of several small religious congregations, it is a well-preserved example of mid-19th century vernacular Greek Revival architecture. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

South Parish United States historic place

South Parish is the historic name of a church at 292 State Street in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the United States. The church building, built in 1824-26, is one of the earliest examples of Classical Revival architecture in New England, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Central Parish Church United States historic place

The First Universalist Church, also once known as the Central Parish Church, is a historic church at 97 Main Street in Yarmouth, Maine. Built in 1859–60, it is an excellent local example of religious Italianate architecture, and one of the state's few surviving churches designed by architect Thomas Holt. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The congregation was founded in 1859, and is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association; its current minister is Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick.

Pittston Congregational Church United States historic place

The Old Pittston Congregational Church is a historic church building on Pittston School Road in Pittston, Maine. Built in 1836, it is an architecturally distinctive blend of Federal, Greek Revival, and Gothic Revival architecture, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The congregation, organized in 1812 by Major Reuben Colburn, now meets at 21 Arnold Road. It is affiliated with the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.

Universalist-Unitarian Church United States historic place

The Universalist Unitarian Church is a historic church on Silver Street and Elm Street in Waterville, Maine in the United States. Built in 1832 for a Universalist congregation founded in 1826, it is a prominent local example of transitional Federal-Gothic Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

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.

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.

First Congregational Church and Meetinghouse United States historic place

The First Congregational Church and Meetinghouse, also known as the Church of Christ and the Townshend Church, is a historic church at 34 Common Road in Townshend, Vermont. Built in 1790 and restyled in 1840, it is one of the oldest church buildings in continuous use in the state. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002; the congregation was established in 1777, and is affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

Guilford Center Meeting House United States historic place

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.

Williston Congregational Church United States historic place

Williston Congregational Church is a historic church in the center of Williston Village on United States Route 2 in Williston, Vermont. Built in 1832 and the interior restyled in 1860, this brick church is a fine local example of Gothic Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Pansy Methodist Church Historic church in Ohio, United States

Pansy Methodist Church is a historic church at Pansy in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. Built in 1885, it was formerly home to a congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Few changes have been made to the church or to its adjacent church school since they were built: neither building has any central heating or plumbing, and the interiors retain the open, undivided floor plans with which they were designed.

Universalist Church of Westfield Center Historic church in Ohio, United States

The Universalist Church of Westfield Center is a historic church in Westfield Center, Ohio, United States. One of Ohio's oldest Universalist congregations, it has experienced a generally peaceful history since its establishment in the 1830s. Located on the village green, the congregation's church building has been named a historic site.

Hilliard United Methodist Church United States historic place

The Hilliard United Methodist Church is a historic Methodist church in central Hilliard, Ohio, United States. The oldest religious structure in the community, it has been named a historic site.

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.

Hastings Unitarian Church Church in East Sussex , United Kingdom

Hastings Unitarian Church, also known as Hastings Unitarian and Free Christian Church, is a place of worship for Unitarians in the town and borough of Hastings, one of six local government districts in the English county of East Sussex. It has been in continuous use since it was built in 1868, having been founded the previous year by prominent Unitarian John Bowring for a congregation which had met in hired premises since 1858. The church, designed by George Beck, is Neoclassical in style and has an 18th-century organ.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 Andrews, Martin R. History of Marietta and Washington County, Ohio and Representative Citizens. Chicago: Biographical, 1902.
  3. First Unitarian Church Of Marietta, Ohio History Connection, 2015. Accessed 2016-01-03.
  4. Owen, Lorrie K., ed. Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places. Vol. 2. St. Clair Shores: Somerset, 1999, 1392.