Built 1865 Address Portsmouth, RI 02871, USA Added to NRHP 13 June 1974 | NRHP Reference # 74000045 Opened 1720 | |
 | ||
Location Portsmouth, Rhode Island Architectural style Greek Revival architecture Similar Portsmouth Historical Society, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Stone Bridge, Sakonnet River Bridge, Sakonnet River rail bridge | ||
The Union Church is an historic church and local history museum owned by the Portsmouth Historical Society at 870 East Main Road in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. One exhibit room is dedicated to Julia Ward Howe and includes a collection of furniture from her summer home in Portsmouth and a display about her life.
History
The Union Church building was constructed in 1865 for the congregation of the Portsmouth Christian Union Church, which was founded in 1810 and originally met in homes and then a smaller meeting house. The current meeting house cost $7,000 to construct and was an active congregation until after World War I. The last worship service was held in 1937 and then it was declared a defunct organization by the Superior Court in 1940 with the fourteen remaining members voting to donate the property to the Portsmouth Historical Society. It now houses the majority of the historical society's collections. The former church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Adjacent to the church is a 1725 schoolhouse building. The Society opens the museum buildings weekly.