White Church

Dixmont Corner Church // 1834

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Dixmont, a small rural town in central Maine was originally originally a land grant by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (of which Maine was then a part) to Bowdoin College, which sold the first settlers their land for profit to build on their campus. As a result, the town was originally called “Collegetown”, which was obviously short-lived. Dr. Elijah Dix (1747-1809) of Boston, who never lived there but took an interest in its settlement, encouraged others to settle there, and when the town was officially incorporated in 1807, it named itself after Dix, as Dixmont. A “malignant fever” broke out among the settlers in the early years, also killing Elijah Dix while in Dixmont on a trip there in 1809, he was buried in the Dixmont Corner Cemetery. Elijah was the grandfather of reformer and nurse Dorothea Dix. The early settlers had this church built by 1834 by Rowland Tyler, a local master builder whose only other documented work is the 1812 City Hall of Bangor. The Dixmont Corner Church is one of Penobscot County’s oldest Gothic churches and also exhibits some Greek/Classical elements.

Troy Meeting House // 1840

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Located in the rural town of Troy, Maine, the 1840 Troy Meeting House is a classic example of a type of meeting house or church that was built by some rural communities in the state in the decades prior to the Civil War. Built as a Union Church, without a specific denomination, the building served the members of the Troy Meeting House Society, and by extension as the only church in the town. The building features both Greek Revival and Gothic Revival stylistic details on the exterior and its design is similar to others in the surrounding towns, likely being from the same builder.

Assonet Congregational Church // 1808

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The Assonet Congregational Church, now the United Church of Assonet was originally known as the Town Church and was organized in 1704. In 1807, fifteen residents of town, all from prominent families, gathered to ‘‘manifesting the desire to enter into a Church estate.’‘ Land was deeded to the church in 1807, and the Federal style edifice was constructed the next year. Documentation on its construction is limited, with research stating, “we can only speculate on the construction of this beautiful Church
building. It is believed that Ebenezer Peirce (1777-1852) of Assonet and Middleboro was the master builder assisted by ship builders of the village. Mr. Peirce sent his sloop “Unicorn” to the Penobscot River region in Maine to procure most of the lumber.” The church is in great condition today, even retaining its bell, cast by Paul Revere, and original box pews. Sadly, in October 1910, the steeple was struck by lightning and the acorn top blew off. The 1880s clock was damaged but repaired. The steeple was re-installed or reconstructed, but deferred maintenance required the church to remove it and the Revere bell in the early 2000s until funding could be gathered to restore, nothing yet. What I wouldn’t do to see the original acorn top of this steeple again!

Tunbridge Universalist Church // 1839

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This vernacular Greek Revival church was built in 1839 for the Universalist Society in Tunbridge, Vermont. The 45-member congregation gathered funds and had this building constructed on land donated by a member of the church. By about 1910, the church was poorly attended and in accordance with the original deed, when the church fell into disrepair, the property reverted to the owner of the accompanying land. The new owner removed the tower as it was becoming a safety hazard and used the former church as a barn to store hay. In 1972, the building was purchased by the Dybvig Family who restored the exterior of the church and converted it into a learning center for youth and adult classes in a variety of topics.

South Ferry Church // 1851

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One of the most photogenic churches I have ever seen has to go to the South Ferry Church in Narragansett, Rhode Island. Built around 1850, the vernacular Gothic style church was designed by Thomas Alexander Tefft, a Providence-based architect who graduated from Brown University in 1851 before starting his own firm that summer. The South Ferry Church was originally part of the thriving South Ferry textile village, north of Narragansett Pier which developed later. During these early years, the church was a meeting place for some of the most prominent families in Narragansett. However, changes in the textile industry and transportation technology led to a decline in the village. The church was later owned by the University of Rhode Island as part of its Bay Campus.