First Parish Meetinghouse - Walpole, MA - Relocated Structures on Waymarking.com

In Walpole, along Common Street, is the United Church in Walpole, which has a meetinghouse previously located on the Walpole Town Green.

The church is currently located along Common Street and faces the southern section of the town green. The main part for the services is a white clapboard style with a tall steeple and bell tower, four wide columns at the front entrance, and a peaked roof.

The main auditorium is the original part that was previously both church and meetinghouse for the town of Walpole. The church web site has more in its history page:

"Our church ancestry dates back to the first meeting house on the town common, and was little more than a small barn. Construction began in 1726 and did not complete until 1738. It functioned as both a meeting house and a church. After 45 years the first meetinghouse was rebuilt and enlarged. It was called the First Church in Walpole. It was built in 1783 under the direction of Adam Blackman and modeled after the Church in Mansfield. Later, a bell tower & bell are added.

In 1827 the congregation divided over Unitarianism. The meeting house became Unitarian. Those holding to the trinity formed the Orthodox Congregational church. This division was occurring in many communities. (Methodism had entered Walpole five years earlier).

Later, a lot on the Sharon and Foxborough Road, now called Common Street, is deeded to the First church by Joseph Hawes for $375. In the summer of 1839 the meetinghouse was moved from the town common to this new location. The building is lifted off its foundation and turned around and carried backwards to this site and set down on its granite foundation. At this time, many New England churches were influenced by Greek architecture, adding four Doric columns and the front porch."

On the green, in the northeast section, is a monument in the form of a cross. On it is the following text:

"Old Meeting House Common
Site of Walpole's First Houses of God. Those of Rev. Phillips Payson and Rev. George Morey, early Harvard graduates."

Original Location: N 42° 08.745 W 071° 15.205 Type of move: Inside City Building Status: Private Related Website: [Web Link] How it was moved: Not listed

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