Northfield Union Church is a historic church on Sondogardy (also spelled "Sandogardy") Pond Road in
Northfield, New Hampshire
Northfield is a New England town, town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,872 at the 2020 census.
History
European settlers first arrived in Northfield in the early 1700s. In ...
. Built in 1883, it is a fine example of modest
Carpenter Gothic
Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic or Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival architectural detailing and picturesque massing applied to wooden structures ...
architecture, designed by Edward Dow, one of New Hampshire's leading late-19th century architects. It was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1984.
Description
The Northfield Union Church is located in an isolated rural setting in southern Northfield, on the west side of Sondogardy Pond Road. It is a single-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof and clapboarded exterior. The main block of the structure is topped by an open belfry with trefoil arches in the openings, and a pyramidal roof that has a flared base. An enclosed vestibule projects from the front facade, with a gabled roof. A second extension projects to the rear, covered by a clipped-gable roof. The interior is simply organized, with the entry vestibule, main sanctuary, and vestry area at the back.
History
In 1882, a movement was started by O. L. Cross to build a church and hall to serve the southern portion of Northfield. To this end, an association was formed, and
Charles E. Tilton, a textile mill owner, was invited to assist. Tilton drew up a document offering to pay for a substantial portion of the church if the town of Northfield would take ownership, provide money for the building's upkeep, and allow any congregations that so desired to meet there on Sundays free of charge. If more than one congregation wished to meet there, they would do so on a rotating basis. The town adopted a measure agreeing to these conditions, property was purchased near the Northfield Depot, and construction began. A dedicatory service was conducted at 2:00 pm on August 21, 1883. The building was used by
Freewill Baptists
Free Will Baptists are a group of General Baptist denominations of Christianity that teach free grace, free salvation and free will. The movement can be traced back to the 1600s with the development of General Baptism in England. Its formal est ...
,
Congregationalists
Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...
,
Methodists, and
Adventists
Adventism is a branch of Protestant Christianity that believes in the imminent Second Coming (or the "Second Advent") of Jesus Christ. It originated in the 1830s in the United States during the Second Great Awakening when Baptist preacher Wil ...
.
History of Northfield, New Hampshire 1780-1905, pp 50-54
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See also
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References
{{NRHP in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in New Hampshire
Carpenter Gothic church buildings in New Hampshire
Churches completed in 1883
19th-century churches in the United States
Churches in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
National Register of Historic Places in Merrimack County, New Hampshire
Northfield, New Hampshire