Built 1857 Opened 1857 Added to NRHP 20 June 1995 | NRHP Reference # 95000726 Area 3,642 m² | |
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Location Jct. of ME 222 and Pratt Rd., NE corner, North Newport, Maine Architectural styles Greek Revival architecture, Italianate architecture | ||
North Newport Christian Church is an historic church at the junction of Maine State Route 222 and Pratt Road in North Newport, Maine. Built in 1857, it is a fine example of a transitional Greek Revival-Italianate church in a rural context. It originally housed both Baptist and Congregationalist congregations, but later was used only by the latter, and is now infrequently used. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Description and history
The North Newport Christian Church is set at the northwest corner of Pratt Road and Mullen Street (Maine SR 222) in northern Newport, about halfway between Corinna and Stetson. It is a single-story wood frame structure, with a front-facing gable roof, clapboard siding, and a stone foundation. The gable ends have returns, and the gables and eaves have extended overhangs with decorative brackets. The building corners are pilastered. The main facade, facing south, is symmetrically arranged, with a pair of entrances, each framed by pilasters and a bracketed cornice on either side of a single window. The gable end is decorated with a large triangular false louver. The interior has small vestibule areas, leading into the main chamber, which has original pews with two aisles, and a raised platform at the far end.
The church was built in 1857 by Abiah Steward, and represents a well-preserved modestly-styled example of transitional architecture in a rural setting. North Newport's Baptist congregation was established in 1817, and its Christian Church congregation about 1840, both originally meeting in local schoolhouses. In about 1850 the two congregations began discussing building a shared facility, which resulted in the construction of this building (supposedly about midway between their previous meeting places). By 1907 the building was being exclusively by the Christian Church congregation, which met regularly until about 1975. The building is now used only occasionally for services.