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 First Church of Belfast - Belfast, ME Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 44° 25.479 W 069° 00.418
19T E 499445 N 4919039
The First Church of Belfast, Maine, a Congregationalist Church, was formally organized December 29, 1796, consisting of seven members. This, their second church building, was erected in 1818.
Waymark Code: WMR299
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 05/01/2016
Views: 1
The architect and builder of the First Church was Samuel French, though the design was apparently based on the " Design for a Meeting House" which appeared in Asher Benjamin's handbook The Country Builder's Assistant, 1798. Containing a Paul Revere Bell, the first church bell in Belfast, the building's frame was raised on June 13, 1818 with dedication occurring November 15 that year. Pew auctions, at $90 to $201 each, paid the entire cost of construction, which amounted to $6,000. The Paul Revere bell was hung in the belfry in 1820, a belfry clock by Timothy Chase and Phineas
P. Quimby was installed in 1836 and the present organ was installed in 1848. $2,000 worth of remodeling took place in 1868 and the parish house was added in 1926, costing $26,000.
THE FIRST CHURCH congregation built this meetinghouse and dedicated it on November 15, 1818. The frame was raised by men from Belfast and neighboring towns. The parish committee provided a barrel of punch for the workers. Notable features include a Paul Revere bell, the first church bell in Belfast, hung the following year, and the town-owned clock built in 1836 by Phineas Quimby and Major Timothy Chase. Over the years the church has been lovingly maintained by its congregation. In 1975 the George Stevens tracker organ, which was installed in 1848, was fully restored, and the clock tower and steeple were refurbished in 1998. The first minister of the church, the Rev. William Frothingham, served for 27 years and many distinguished ministers have followed in his footsteps.
From a plaque at the church
First Church of Belfast
Belfast was founded originally by Scotch-Irish Presbyterians who
came in 1770 from Londonderry, New Hampshire and settled on a tract of land purchased from the heirs of General Samuel Waldo. Upon arriving they promptly built a meeting house and voted to tax themselves for "The Incorigement of a Gospel minister".
The settlers, however, soon suffered incredible hardships as a result
of the American Revolution. Their homes and crops were burned and laid waste, and they themselves were obliged to flee for safety. At the conclusion of the war resettlement took place and a large number of new people arrived, mostly of the Congregationalist denomination. In 1796, a Church Council, comprised of ministers from the neighboring towns of Bristol, Warren, Penobscot, and Hallowell, was called for the two-fold purpose of organizing a Church for the town and ordaining the minister to preside over it. On December 29, The First Church of Belfast, Maine was formally organized, consisting of seven members.
After some initial dissension the parish began to thrive and by
1818 decided to erect a larger building. Begun on June 13, it was ready for use, though still unfinished, in five months. The dedication took place on November 15, 1818.
Since its completion the church has remained virtually unchanged
externally with exception of the installation of the town clock which
was placed in the belfry in 1836. The present organ, a Stevens tracker instrument, was bought in 1848 and is considered to be a fine example of organ-building of its time.
The First Church in Belfast, is a distinguished Federal style church
closely linked with the city during most of its history.
From the NRHP Nomination Form
Reformed or Congregational Denomination: United Church of Christ
Associated Website: [Web Link]
Status: Active House of Worship
Address:
104 Church Street
Belfast, ME USA
04915
Date of Construction or Event Occurrence: 11/15/1818
Architect: Samuel French
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