National Register of Historic Places

Spurwink Congregational Church

Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County, Maine
Listed
May 18, 1970
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
70000044

About this property

Spurwink Congregational Church is a historic church at 533 Spurwink Avenue in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Built in 1802 and significantly renovated in 1830, it is the town's oldest public building. Home to an active congregation until 1957, it is now owned by the town, serving as a community function space. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. The Spurwink Church is set on a rise above the Spurwink River in western Cape Elizabeth, at the junction of Spurwink Avenue and Bowery Beach Road (Maine State Route 77). It is a basically rectangular wood-frame building, with a gabled roof, clapboard siding, and a granite foundation. A gabled entry vestibule projects from the front, with a square two-stage tower rising above the line between it and the main block. The tower has a plain first stage, and then a belfry with round-arch louvered openings, and a dome-shaped spire and weathervane at the top. The vestibule section is very plain, with a fully pedimented gable, and a pair of entrances, each flanked by pilasters and topped by an entablature and cornice. Windows appear on the sides and rear of the building, most with a Gothic arched fan as a decorative element above. The interior retains significant original finishes, including box pews and a kerosene-powered chandelier. The original congregation was formed as a branch of the second parish of South Portland. However, South Portland was part of Cape Elizabeth until 1895. The church was built in 1802, and underwent a significant renovation in 1830. The church became independent in 1905, and had an active (but declining) population until 1957, when the building was turned over to the town. National Register of Historic Places listings in Cumberland County, Maine

Location

Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County, Maine
43.57970, -70.25177

Categories

RELIGION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Crescent Lodge
Early Republic
1.6 mi
Dyer-Hutchinson Farm
Listed
1.9 mi
Two Lights
Industrial
2.7 mi
Seavey-Robinson House
Industrial
3.2 mi
Beckett's Castle
Civil War
3.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Queen Anne's War – Raid on Casco ME 1703
1703Colonial
5.2 mi
Raid on Falmouth (Casco, Maine) 1690
1690Colonial
5.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Spurwink Congregational Church listed on the National Register?

Spurwink Congregational Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 18, 1970.

What type of historic resource is Spurwink Congregational Church?

Spurwink Congregational Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Spurwink Congregational Church?

The period of significance for Spurwink Congregational Church is recorded as the industrial era.

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