BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
FORM B - BUILDING MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION &0 BOYLSTON STREET BOSTON, MA 02116 7 JAN 0 2 1990 AREA FORM NO. 10 Photo (3"x3" or 3"x5", black and white) Indicate address of property on back of photo. Staple to left side of form. Sketch Map: Draw map showing property's location in relation to nearest cross streets and/or geographical features. Indicate all buildings between inventoried property and nearest butldings intersection(s). Indicate north Town Swansea, Mass. MRA SWANSEA Address G. A. R. Highway (U. S. Rte. 6) Historic Name Church of Christ, Swansea [also: First Christian Congregational Church] Use: Present Religious services Original Religious services DESCRIPTION Date 1833 Source Church records/D. H. Hurd Style Greek Revival Architect unknown Exterior Wall Fabric clapboard Outbuildings none (see attached map) Major Alterations (with dates) enlargement/int.
renovations (1873); I-story education wing, E side (1966) Condition good Moved no Date Acreage Setting less than one acre heavily developed commercial area with major traffic along G. A. R. highway UTM REFERENCE USGS QUADRANGLE SCALE 19 314980 4624300 Somerset, MA 1:25000 1985 Recorded by_H. Pierce/K. Valente/K. Broomer Organization Swansea Historical Commission Date 1978/March 1986/October 1989 NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA STATEMENT (if applicable) Church of Christ, Swansea (now the First Christian Congregational Church) retains integrity of location, design, materials, workmanship, and association and is significant on the local level. The church meets Criterion A for its assocations with the non-sectarian Christian church organized in the town in the late 17th century, and Criterion C as an important local example of Greek Revival architecture.
The church also meets Criterion Consideration A as a religious property deriving its primary significance from architectural distinction and historical importance. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE Describe important architectural features and evaluate in terms of other buildings within the community. The present church is the second on the site. The first meetinghouse, built in 1720 of oak and chestnut timbers, was unique in that it was heated. [Hurd and Hutt] In 1815, the roof of this square meetinghouse was blown off, and replaced so that the former ends of the structure became the sides. Dedicated in 1833, the present 1½-story structure is of rectangular massing with a pedimented gable-front facade. Six paneled pilasters partition the facade into bays, the center bay containing a double-door entrance in a round-arched surround.
topped with ogee-arched heads; another blind ogee fan ornaments the pediment. Rising from the two-stage square tower is an octagonal cupola with louvered pointed-arch openings. Gabled one-story extensions to the rear (north side) of the building are likely the result of the 1873 remodeling which focused on the interior. An organ built in the church in 1868 by E. & G. Hook was restored in 1963 and repaired in 1978. empire pulpit was a gift from the Central Congregational Church, Fall River, in 1875. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE Explain the role owners piayed in local or state history and how the building relates to the development of the community. The Church of Christ, Swansea was formally organized in 1693. Services held as early as 1680, however, may qualify the congregation as one of the oldest in New England.
[Swansea Tercen.]The church is historically significant for its ecclesiastical independence, never having had a legal connection with the town and therefore never supported by taxation. The church imposed no doctrinal tests as conditions of admission, and was open to all Christians regardless of the specific tenets of their faith. In 1725 the members decided to receive additional members only by the "laying on of hands." The church was briefly associated with the Six-Principle Baptist Church of Swansea from 1803 to 1820 and thereafter operated independent1y. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, the pastors of the church were all members of the Mason family, descendants of Samson Mason, who came to America in the late 17th century. The Greek Revival building was constructed during the pastorate of Richard Davis (Nov.
1830-May1833), although thestructure was not ready for occupancy until the beginning of the ministry of his successor, James J. Thatcher. Rev. Thatcher, a wel1-known Swansea minister, went on to serve as pastor to the First Baptist Church in North Swansea in the 1840s. BIBLIOGRAPHY and/or REFERENCES Hurd, Duane H. History of Bristol County, Mass. Philadelphia, 1883. Hutt, Frank Walcott. A History of Bristol County, Mass. NY: Lewis Hist. Publ. Co., 1924. Pierce, Helen, ed. Swansea Tercentenary 1667-1967. Swansea, MA, 1967. Wright, Otis O1ney. History of Swansea 1667-1917- Swansea, MA, 1917. 8/85 Np9 Fom 10000s United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page. Swansea MRA Bristol County, MASSACHUSETTS Noviev Cover 1. Anthony, David M., House OMB Approval No.
1024-0018 Date Listed accept Betay Suage 02-16-91 Entered in the Nat1onal Ragleteg/kteper Akeaadyen 2/16/90 Attest Intered 1n toe 2. Anthony, Harold H., House Hationad Hegister HRéeper Aelou Ajun 2/16150 Attest 3. Bark Street School intered in tbe Hational Hegleter Kkéeper AiluneSzun 8/16/90 Attest 4. Barneyville Historic District Entered 1n tae Hataooa Regletes Keeper AelmBgew 2/11150 Attest 5. Bend of the Lane intored la tha Nationad Hagietes Akeeper DilanByu 2/16/90 Attest 6. Brown, John, IV, House antered in tnt National Registes Keeper Aelaußgen 2/16/40 Attest 7. Buffington, DEacon, John, Housetered in the Hationad Register LKeeper Stelve Bge 311610 8. Church of Christ, Swansea intered in tat National Register Attest /Keeper AelansByu 2/16/5c 9.
Cole, Benjamin, House Attest Akeeper Entered in the National Register NelauBgan 2/10150 Attest 10/ Colony Historic Nistrict Albsenlua derzon JaKeepert Bett Sauze 02-16-90 Attest UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET REQUESTED ACTION: NOMINATION PROPERTY Church of Christ, Swansea NAME: MULTIPLE Swansea MRA NAME: STATE & COUNTY: MASSACHUSETTS, Bristol DATE RECEIVED: 1/02/90 DATE OF 16TH DAY: 2/02/90 DATE OF PENDING LIST: 1/1$/90 DATE OF 45TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: REFERENCE NUMBER: 90000075 NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: REQUEST: N SAMPLE: COMMENT WAIVER: N ACCEPT _RETURN ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: N SLR DRAFT: N NATIONAL: N REJECT 2/16/90 DATE Batered in tba fationad Rogietar RECOM./CRITERIA REVIEWER DISCIPLINE DATE DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N CLASSIFICATION count _resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION FUNCTION historic current DESCRIPTION _architectural classification materials descriptive text SIGNIFICANCE Period Areas of Significance--Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance _justification of exception other BIBLIOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICAL DATA _acreage UTMS verbal boundary description boundary justification ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION _sketch maps _USGS maps photographs OTHER COMMENTS -presentation Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Phone Signed Date First ChristianCong.Ch.
GAR Highiay churchof Christ, Swausea/ First curistian cong.cherch (MHC+10) GA.R.Highway swausea, Mass. MeA 1986 ViCUN Fizt Christian Ceng Chuch G.A.R. HighLiay Suanset, WaSs MRA 1986 VIeWE swausea/ First cunistan 4y 10 80 GARHIGHWNY 114 3 A 82.7 207 112 CHURCHOF CHRIST/FIRSTI CHRISTIAN CONG. CH. ,072 , SEI MAPLE AVE. á621 40.20° 211.7- 257 ic6.00 4 139 MAPLE PROPERTY MAP TOWN OF SWANSEA BRISTOL COUNTY . MASSACHUSETTS BAMES W. SEWALL COMPANY SCALE 1 INCH = 100 + FEET OLD TC FORASSESING 5A-/ 5A 93 G.A.R. HIGHWAY 253 10 :72.26 32 249 338' 3 EAS =nN 2L 201 65 11 12. 3' 30 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000296