Union Chapel (or the Oak Bluffs Christian Union Chapel) is an historic
octagon
In geometry, an octagon (from the Greek ὀκτάγωνον ''oktágōnon'', "eight angles") is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon.
A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, whi ...
-shaped church building in
Oak Bluffs, on
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...
,
Massachusetts. The church was built in 1870 as a non-sectarian worship space in an area dominated by the
Methodist summer
camp meeting known as
Wesleyan Grove. Acquired in 2002 by the nonprofit Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust, the building continues to be used for nonsectarian religious services, and also serves as a community center and performing arts space.
History
The area now called
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Oak Bluffs is a town located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,341 at the 2020 United States Census. It is one of the island's principal points of arrival for summer tourists ...
on the island of
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...
began to develop in the 1830s with the establishment of a
Methodist summer camp meeting which became known as
Wesleyan Grove. The popularity of the camp prompted the formation of the Oak Bluffs Land and Wharf Company to develop areas adjacent to the camp as a resort area.
The chapel was built in 1870 as a non-denominational house of worship for vacationers who were not Methodist. The church, an eight-sided structure with an open internal plan, was designed by local architect Samuel Freeman Pratt, whose work for the Company included
its headquarters building.
The church was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 1990.
[ In 2002 the building was acquired by the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust. The building continues to be used for services on a seasonal basis, and is also used for community events and as a performing arts space.]
See also
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*
References
External links
Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust homepage for Union Chapel
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
Buildings and structures in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Dukes County, Massachusetts
Chapels in the United States
Octagonal churches in the United States
1870 establishments in Massachusetts