|
Scituate Congregational Church Clark Sayles built the Congregational Church
on Greenville Road. He dedicated it on
July 4, 1831. It was built because a group of residents called the Smithville
Society needed a church. Clark Sayles designed the Congregational Church. It was
built for $2,350 on a $75 piece of land.
A three-stage steeple is on top of the Congregational Church and makes
it a landmark from faraway places and all around the town. Inside the church
pews were built to face the entrance doors. Some people think it was to
protect the church from Indian attack, but it was really built that way to
make sure people were on time for church. At the
time the Congregational Church was built, it was used by two church groups,
the Congregational church group and the Baptist church group. The Baptists
used this church biweekly for services while their church was built across
the street and down the road. The church thrived in the 1800’s. In 1898,
people decided the church should no longer be used for regular services. In
1940, the First Congregational Church gave the building to the Town of
Scituate for “religious and historical purposes”. The
Scituate Congregational Church is still used today, but it is no longer a
church. The Congregational Church is now used as a town community building.
It can be rented by anyone that lives in Scituate for special occasions. The
Scituate Art Festival is held around the church and the building is open to
the public that weekend. Since 1968 Art Festival money raised has been used
to help keep the church in good shape. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A play was held in
the historic church. Here is a group photograph. |
|
|
This article and
photograph were found in the Archive Room of the North Scituate
Public Library as was the page below from the binder on town churches. |
|
|
|
|
|
These photos show how the Scituate
Congregational Church looks today. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
These photos of the inside of the church
were taken from the right entrance. Notice how the pews face the altar
and the front doors. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Click here to visit the Scituate Reads Around the Town homepage. |
|
|
|
|
|
©2017 Paula DiLuglio |
|