BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
AREA FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 294 WASHINGTON STREET, BOSTON, MA 02108 FORM NO. 63 Town Address_ Rehoboth 141 Hornbine Road Historic Name_ Hornbine Baptist Church PHOTO: (3x3" or 3x5" ,black & white). staple to left side of form Photo number SKETCH MAP Show property's to nearest cros geographical fe all buildings V property and ne Indicate north. N HORNBINE rel* nd/ox. cate Hornbine .L Chley BAKER A 61 211 -126E215 1. -i Gem STREET Use: Present church Original church DESCRIPTION: Date 1753 Source_325th Anniversary of Rehoboth Style vernacular Architect_ unknown Exterior wall fabric_clapboard Outbuildings none UTM: 19/317140/4629550 Recorded by Leslie C. Abernathy, III Organization_Rehoboth Historical Commission Date _April 1976 Major alterations (with dates) see text Moved no Date Approx. acreage less than one acre Setting.
center of triangular lot at intersection of Hornbine Road and Baker Street (Staple additional sheets here) ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE (Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community.) The Hornbine Baptist Church, a small one-story frame structure with a diminutive projecting hip roof porch with double entrances, is the earliest surviving Baptist meetinghouse in southeast Massachusetts. Originally, when erected in 1753, this building was a simple barn-like structure with a single large room. The entrance was in the bagle flank facing south onto Baker Street (stone step still in place) and the pulpit was on the north wall opposite. By 1802, the parish had grown, and increase in the congregation necessitated remodelling. A gallery was built at both ends of the room and pews were installed.
The pulpit, made of hornbeam (presumably HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE (Explain the role owners played in local or state (Continued) history and how the building relates to the development of the community.) The First Baptist Church in Massachusetts was establis ed in Swansea, adjacent to Rehoboth, in 1663. It was a Six Principle Baptist Church under Rev. John In 1753, some thirty members withdrew from the second church in Swansea, Church of Christ and, with its blessing, organized what was to be known as the Hornbine Baptist Church in southeast Rehoboth. This was the third Baptist con- gregation in present-day Rehoboth. Daniel Martin was ordained as paster with Mial Pearce as assistant. Initially, monthly meetings were held in the Mial Pearce House (#61) and occasionally at the Nathaniel Baker home on Baker Street.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the parish grew to such a large size that two major renovations were necessary to the original church of 1753 in 1802 and 1869. The parish has always been active in the community. Suppers are often held at the Church and clambakes have been an annual event since 1860 when the first clambake held in a nearby orchard, neeted a thirty-cents profit. Since 1950, they have been held elsewhere in Rehoboth and serve one hundred-eighty to two hundred-fifty people. As champions of civic and religious freedom, the parishoners voted in 1888 to become non-denominational and rename the church as the First Free Baptist Church and Society of southeast Rehoboth, Massachusetts, Incor- porated." This act by the Church encouraged participation in church-sponsored social activities by local residents belonging to other parishes.
Consequently, the Horbine Church has been instrumental in maintaining community life in Rehoboth and has many supportive ties outside the immediate, now small congregation. (Continued) BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES (name of publication, author, date and publisher) "A brief history of the Hornbine Baptist Church," pamphlet, n.d. Massachusetts Historical Commission, Historic and Archaeological Resources of Southeast Massachusetts. Boston, 1982. Trim, et al. Rehoboth's 325th Anniversary, 1968, pp.43-44. 10M - 7/82 * INVENTORY FORM CONTINUATION SHEET MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION Office of the Secretary, Boston Commmity: Form No: 63 Rehoboth Property Name Hornbine Baptist Church Indicate each item on inventory form which is being continued below. Architectural Significance (Continued) the origin of "Hornbine"), was enlarged with stairs on either side.
This pulpit has since been cut down several tiems and is presently located in the southeast corner of the main floor. Further renovations in 1869 consisted of moving the entrance to its present location, lowering the ceiling, and erecting a raised alcove to serve as a pulpit. The chandelier and four bracket lamps, now electrified and still in use, were installed at this time. A social hall sixteen feet square added to the northwest corner that same year was enlarged by nineteen feet in 1874 and remodelled in the 1960s when a kitchen was installed. A four-stall horse shed and several storage sheds of the 1870s were removed in the mid 20th century. The potential for subsurface remains of these structures is undetermined. Aside from modifications of the social hall and removal of late 19th century sheds, the Hornbine Church has not altered significantly since the 1870s, nor has its setting.
It is located where Baker Street meets Hornbine, a minor intersection which is unmarred by any attempts to straighten or widen the roads. Another historically significant structure, the Hornbine School (#62) is directly s ugmarreaty stry attenp tse across Hornbine Street. Historical Significance (Continued) As the earliest surviving Baptist Meetinghouse in southeast Massachusetts, well- maintained and still occupied by its original congregation, the Hornbine Baptist Church meets criteria A and C of the National Register of Historic Places individually. Staple to Inventory form at bottom NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp.
10-31-84 For NPS use only received date entered Page 3 44 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group NameRehoboth Multiple Resource Area State Massachusetts Nomination/Type of Review 21. Goff Farm Substantive Review Entered in the National Register 22. Goff Homestead 23. Hornbine Baptist Church Entered in tho National Register 24. Hornbine School Entered in the National Begister 25. Horton, Welcome, Farm Entered in tha National Begietos 26. House at 197 Hornbine Road Intered in the National Register 27. House at 30 Kelton Street Intered in the Hational Register 28. Ingal1s-Wheeler-Horton Homestead Site Entered in the Wational Register iniered in tho Hatinnel Begleter 29. Kingsley House 30.
Knapp, Seth, Jr., House Entered in the National Register Date/Signature Aaer hanDny l 4/6/59 Keeper Attest tkeeper AlelousByen 6/0/83 Attest 6Keeper dlelomaßgen 6/6/83 Attest fKeeper deluuByer 616183 Attest Reeper selrBgan lclr. Attest theeper debratßsen dl4) Attest tkeeper delmuaßgen 6/6187 Attest fReeper delreaßgend 616/83 Attest /keeper delomaßyen 6/6/83 Attest fKeeper deloueaByen 616/83 Attest NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Snited States De et el she lnsarien Mational Park Servi Hornbine Baptist Church (Rehoboth MRA) Bristol County MASSACHUSETTS EYALUATION / RETURN SHEET resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objoction appeal Substantive Roview: Reviower's comments: Working No. Fed. Reg. Date: Date Due: Action: Entered in the Mationa], Begtetez Federal Agency: 5/83 83 ACCEPT- 8/6183 RETURN REJECT_ - sample - request - appeal - NR decision Recom.
/Criteria - Reviewer Discipline Date continuation sheet -Nomination returned for: 1. Name 2. Location - technical corrections cited below -substantive reasons discussed below 3. Classification Vee 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Représentation in Existing Surveys hes thle property ton ertermined eligibia? - 100 7. Description pod tele detertoratec ruins - Chock eno - unaitered - sitered Check ane - moved Do the srocont nd ertgtaal (il keerma) ptnyeteed eppo summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection 8.
Significance Peried Aroes ot SignifcanceChock and justity baiow pecific dates Statement ef Significance (In eno parsgraph) Bulleler Architect summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification ofareas checked relating significance to the resource context relation ship of integrity to significance justification of excepticn other Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quedrangie neme UMT Reterences Verkal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: - national -_ state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13.
Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to - Signed Date - Phone: 202 272 -3504 Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet 4/15/75 Hombinetcholasos. Hörhne Beptetc. Penche Th MRANA SWANSLA 0Hl 90 17 100 051 T 091 OLI = 4o 50 BAKER 6° 1 RGAD 120 130 140, 146 IGEND 141 Hornbine Road Horbine Baptist Church (form 63) Town of Rehoboth Property Mar 1978 scale |i = 200' Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000292