Old Christ Church (Bethel, Vermont)

Historic church in Vermont, United States

United States historic place

Old Christ Church

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Old Christ Church

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Location| Jct. of VT 12 and Gilead Brook Rd., Bethel, Vermont
Coordinates| 43°52′30″N 72°38′51″W﻿ / ﻿43.87500°N 72.64750°W﻿ / 43.87500; -72.64750Coordinates: 43°52′30″N 72°38′51″W﻿ / ﻿43.87500°N 72.64750°W﻿ / 43.87500; -72.64750
Area| 2.5 acres (1.0 ha)
Built| 1823 (1823)
Architect| Warren, Col. David
Architectural style| Federal
MPS| Religious Buildings, Sites and Structures in Vermont MPS
NRHP reference No.| 08000159[1]
Added to NRHP| March 06, 2008

Old Christ Church is a historic Episcopal church at the junction of Vermont Route 12 and Gilead Brook Road in Bethel, Vermont. Built in 1823, it is a well-preserved Federal period church, lacking modern amenities such as electricity and plumbing. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.[1] It is used for services only during the summer.

## Description and history[edit]

Old Christ Church stands on the east side of Vermont Route 12 in what is now a rural area of northern Bethel. It is just north of Gilead Brook, with a cemetery standing behind it. The church is a single-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof and clapboarded exterior. A square tower rises above the roof line, with a simple first stage topped by an open belfry. The main facade is symmetrical, with a pair of entrances, each flanked by pilasters and topped by a corniced entablature. Above each doorway is a sash window, topped by a corniced lintel. The gable end is fully pedimented, with a half-oval window at the center of the gable. The interior has a vestibule with stairs leading to a choir loft, and features original box pews in the main sanctuary. It no longer has its original raised pulpit, which was probably removed during renovations in the 1880s.[2]

The town of Bethel was chartered in 1779, and an Episcopal congregation including the town was organized in 1794. It met for nearly twenty years in a variety of facilities, mostly those of its parishioners or of a schoolhouse that stood on the site of the present church. This church was built in 1823-24 by Colonel David Warren on land donated by Simeon Chase, who spearheaded the drive for its construction. It is one of Vermont's finest examples of a pure high Federal style church. Enrollment declined as churches in town centers were built, and the building was sold in 1852 to a Methodist congregation. It was repurchased in 1871 by the Episcopal congregation meeting in Bethel village, which continues to use the building for summer services.[2]

## See also[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Windsor County, Vermont

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. ^ a b Devin Colman (2007). "NRHP nomination for Old Christ Church". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-08-02. with photos from 2007

## External links[edit]

* Episcopal Diocese of Vermont information on the church

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National Register of Historic Places in Windsor County, Vermont

National
Historic
Landmarks|

* Calvin Coolidge Homestead District
* George Perkins Marsh Boyhood Home
* Robbins and Lawrence Armory and Machine Shop
* Stellafane Observatory

Districts|

* Advent Camp Meeting Grounds Historic District
* Ascutney Mill Dam Historic District
* Ascutney State Park
* Bethel Village Historic District
* Theron Boyd Homestead
* Brigham Hill Historic District
* Brook Farm
* Chester Village Historic District
* Christian Street Rural Historic District
* Coolidge State Park
* Fletcher–Fullerton Farm
* Goodrich Four Corners Historic District
* Hartford Village Historic District
* Jericho Rural Historic District
* King Farm
* Ludlow Village Historic District
* Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
* Gen. Lewis R. Morris House
* Norwich Mid-Century Modern Historic District
* Norwich Village Historic District
* Parker Hill Rural Historic District ‡
* Plymouth Historic District
* Quechee Historic Mill District
* Isaac M. Raymond Farm
* Saddlebow Farm
* Slayton–Morgan Historic District
* South Royalton Historic District
* South Woodstock Village Historic District
* Southview Housing Historic District
* Springfield Downtown Historic District
* Stockbridge Common Historic District
* Stone Village Historic District
* Taftsville Historic District
* Terraces Historic District
* Weathersfield Center Historic District
* West Hartford Village Historic District
* Weston Village Historic District
* White River Junction Historic District
* Wilder Village Historic District
* Wilgus State Park
* Windsor Village Historic District
* Woodstock Village Historic District

Buildings|

| Commercial|

* Aiken Stand Complex
* Fox Stand
* F. H. Gillingham & Sons
* Locust Creek House Complex
* Charles Marsh Law Office
* Pollard Block
* Progressive Market
* Simons' Inn
* Windsor House

|

Educational|

* Abbott Memorial Library
* Beaver Meadow School
* Black River Academy
* Eureka Schoolhouse
* Hartford Library
* Ludlow Graded School
* Park Street School
* Root School
* South Reading Schoolhouse
* Spencer Hollow School

Government|

* Damon Hall
* Fire District No. 2 Firehouse
* Reading Town Hall

Industrial|

* Bridgewater Woolen Mill
* Royalton Mill Complex

Religious|

* Beaver Meadow Union Chapel
* Cavendish Universalist Church
* Congregational Church of Ludlow
* Old Christ Church
* St. Paul's Episcopal Church

Residential|

* Atherton Farmstead
* Augustus and Laura Blaisdell House
* Twing Buckman House
* Rev. George Daman House
* Dewey House
* Wentworth and Diana Eldredge House
* Ezekiel Emerson Farm
* Farrar-Mansur House
* Joseph Fessenden House
* Reverend Dan Foster House
* Fowler-Steele House
* Gate of the Hills
* Daniel Gay House
* Glimmerstone
* Greenwood House
* Harrington House
* Hartness House
* Jeffrey House
* Wales N. Johnson House
* Juniper Hill Farm-Maxwell Evarts House
* Lockwood-Boynton House
* Luce Farm
* Maple Hill Farm
* Joseph and Daniel Marsh House
* McKenstry Manor
* Meeting House Farm
* Owen Moon Farm
* NAMCO Block
* Old Constitution House
* Aaron Jr. and Susan Parker Farm
* Zachariah Spaulding Farm
* Walter and Sylvia Stockmayer House
* Jedediah Strong II House
* David Sumner House
* John Wilder House

Object|

* Indian Stones

Sites|

* Gilbert's Hill
* Historic Crown Point Road

Structures|

* Best's Covered Bridge
* Bowers Covered Bridge
* Bridge 15
* Bridgewater Corners Bridge
* Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge‡
* Gilead Brook Bridge
* Gould's Mill Bridge
* Iron Bridge at Howard Hill Road
* Kendron Brook Bridge
* Lincoln Covered Bridge
* Martin's Mill Covered Bridge
* Ottauquechee River Bridge
* Quechee Gorge Bridge
* Spaulding Bridge
* Stockbridge Four Corners Bridge
* Taftsville Covered Bridge
* Upper Falls Covered Bridge
* West Hartford Bridge
* West Woodstock Bridge
* Willard Covered Bridge
* Woodstock Warren Through Truss Bridge

Footnotes|

‡This historic property also has portions in an adjacent state.

See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Windsor County, Vermont and List of National Historic Landmarks in Vermont
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