First Unitarian Church of Providence
First Unitarian Church of Providence | ||
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Style Colonial | | |
Completed | 1816 | |
Construction cost | over $50,000[1] | |
Specifications | ||
Height | 189 feet, 11 inches[1] | |
Materials | ashlar-laid white stone | |
Clergy | ||
Minister(s) | Elizabeth Lerner Maclay |
First Unitarian Church of Providence is an American
History
The first churches in
A new, larger building was constructed on the corner of Benefit and Benevolent Streets, where the current church now stands. This building was destroyed by fire on June 14, 1814.[1]
Current building
The current building was designed by local architect
The building was dedicated October 13, 1816.[1] It was built with white stone quarried in Johnston, Rhode Island.[2] The original floor plan was 77 x 80 feet. The spire is 189 feet, 11 inches tall. The original cost was over $50,000.[1]
The bell in the church's bell tower is the largest cast by the Paul Revere foundry in Canton, Massachusetts.[2]
Renovations were made to the building in 1868 and 1916.
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Church building erected in 1795 and destroyed by fire in 1814
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1886 engraving of the current church building
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Photograph published in 1891 of the current building
Theology
Although founded as a congregationalist church, the church later became explicitly Unitarian in theology under the leadership of Rev. Henry Edes (1803-1832).[2] For many years it was known as The First Congregational Church (Unitarian).[2] In April 1953 the congregation voted to change the name to The First Unitarian Church of Providence.[2]
On March 26, 2017, the church voted to become a Sanctuary Church, a policy which would allow non-citizens to stay in the church and claim protection against deportation.[4]
Notable services and members
- Funeral services for General, Governor, and Senator Ambrose Burnside were held here on September 16, 1881.[5]
- Funeral services for Providence Mayor Thomas A. Doyle were held on June 14, 1886.[6]
- Funeral services for Sarah Elizabeth Doyle, suffragist, educator and sister of Mayor Thomas Doyle, were held in December 1922.[7]
- Frank F. Olney (1851—1903), 18th mayor of Providence, was a member of the church.[8]
- Journalist Ben Bagdikian (1920—2016) was a member of the church.[9]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Greene, Welcome Arnold (1886). The Providence plantations for two hundred and fifty years. Providence, Rhode Island: J.A. & R.A. Reid. p. 148.
providence 250 years.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "About Us: Church History". Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2014-05-10.
- ^ Woodward, William McKenzie. Providence: A Citywide Survey of Historic Resources. 1986.
- ^ Andrade, Kevin (7 June 2018). "Providence church joins national sanctuary movement". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
- ^ "The Lamented Burnside". Fall River, Massachusetts: Fall River Daily Herald. 17 September 1881. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ Memorial of Thomas Arthur Doyle, Mayor of the City of Providence. Providence, Rhode Island: Providence City Council. 1887. pp. 5–13. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
- ^ "Sarah E. Doyle, Suffrage Worker and Teacher, Dead". The Providence Journal. 22 December 1922. p. 1.
- ^ Representative Men and Old Families of Rhode Island. J.H. Beers & Company. 1908. pp. 58–62. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
External links
- First Unitarian Church of Providence official website Archived 2018-03-07 at the Wayback Machine