Bernardston Congregational Unitarian Church - Bernardston, MA - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

Bernardston was settled in 1737. In compliance with prevailing laws of the Puritan controlled Massachusetts Bay Colony, Congregationalism was official state religion and a church and meeting house was required to make the town eligible for incorporation. Thus this Congregational Church was erected in 1739 and also served as the town meeting house.

"The church began as an early colonial meeting house, located on Huckle Hill, near the town's early residential concentration. It was moved 0.5 miles (0.80 km) in 1772 on capstans and rollers using human power. In 1791 it was moved again, this time by disassembly and reconstruction, to a location on Bald Mountain Road. It was moved a third time in 1825, again by disassembly, to its present location." (visit link)

In 1805 the pastor Amasa Cook was dismiss and replaced by Harvard College educated Timothy Rogers who converted the church to Unitarianism. Dissatisfied parishioners then founded a new Congregational Church across the street. Today the church is Unitarian and its history accounts for the Congregational Unitarian name. See link embedded in MACRIS: (visit link)

Unitarianism is a theological movement whose fundamental tenet is the belief that God is a single person as opposed to the more prevalent Christian dogma that God is a Trinity composed of the God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Unitarians believe that the teachings of Jesus were inspired by this singular God and Jesus is not an incarnated deity. In the United States, the Unitarian theology began in Boston, MA in 1784 and spread out from New England. (visit link)

The Greek Revival style, white clapboard church has been designed and modified by several architects since 1739. These including Samuel Connable, Sr. and Jr., James Couch, Moses Scott, and Orra Sheldon. The church has a gable roof and a tower topped with a domed cupola. The two story high building has a protruding façade with two entrances separated by a rectangular window flanked by black shutters. Above the entrances are a pair of shuttered windows, a pediment and a three-tiered belfry tower. The first tier has false arched windows. The second and third tiers have louvered windows. The sides of the building are five bays wide with four windows on the lower level and five larger windows on the upper level.

The Bernardston Congregational Unitarian Church was listed on the Natinal Register of Historic Places in 1993.

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1739 Age of Church building determined by?: Historical Society If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Unitarian Universalist If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Sunday Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: 11:30 AM Street address of Church: 49 Church Street Bernardston, Massachusetts United States 01337 Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
1) A photo of the church is required for visits to a waymark.

2) Please share some comments about your visit.

3) Additional photos are encouraged. If you can have information in addition to that already provided about this church, please share it with us.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.