Allenstown Meeting House - Allenstown, NH
N 43° 09.630 W 071° 22.858
19T E 306433 N 4781390
The historic Allenstown Meeting House is located within the Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, New Hampshire.
Waymark Code: WM64P5
Location: New Hampshire, United States
Date Posted: 04/02/2009
Views: 10
A historical marker at the site reads as follows:
Built in 1815 for both religious and town meetings, this rare example of a one-story meeting house has slanted floors that offer a clear view of its simple pulpit. The building housed services of the “Christian” sect until about 1860, and evangelical camp meetings until 1886, but ceased to be used for town meetings in 1876. The town deeded it to Buntin Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, in 1908. Buntin Chapter’s restoration of the building was a pioneering effort at historic preservation.
A brief history of the old meeting house is available at the geocities website:
The Old Allenstown Meeting House was erected by members of the First Christian Church and the townspeople in 1815, and was completed by 1817. It features sloping floors extending from balconied box pews and a high pulpit surrounded by signed plaster walls.
The building was used for public meetings, elections and church services until 1876. The First Christian Church continued to use the building for occasional church services and the annual "Strafford Conference of Christian Churches." In 1908, Allenstown transferred the property to the Buntin Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. They restored the building to its original condition by August of 1909 and held a dedication service.
In 1991, the Buntin Chapter D.A.R. donated the Meeting House to the State of New Hampshire. At that time, a steering committee was formed to investigate restoration, development and fundraising.
A restoration program has been developed and building restoration has begun.
The Old Allenstown Meeting House is located on Deerfield Road, in the confines of Bear Brook State Park.