Peterborough Unitarian Church
About this property
The Peterborough Unitarian Church, also once known as the First Church in Peterborough, is a historic American church at Main and Summer streets in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Built in 1825-26 for a congregation founded in 1752, it is one of the state's finest examples of a Federal period church, drawing inspiration from the publications of Asher Benjamin. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The Peterborough Unitarian Church stands prominently in the town center of Peterborough, at the northwest corner of Main and Summer streets. It is a single-story brick building, with a gabled roof and a multistage tower. The tower, set above the front facade, has a square first stage with round-arch louvers, an octagonal clock stage, an octagonal belfry, and a cupola crowned by a cross. The interior has a vestibule area, whose inner wall dividing it from the main space helps support the tower, and a galleried hall. Interior decorations are partly reflective of later 19th-century alterations, including the placement of pulpit and sounding board, and the trompe-l'œil artwork. The church was built in 1825-26 for a congregation that was established in 1752. Its design was at one time attributed to Charles Bulfinch, but there is no documentary evidence that supports this connection, and the building clearly has Federal-style elements inspired by the publications of Asher Benjamin. The clock in its tower is owned by the town; the first was installed in 1856, the present one in 1947. The bell was installed in 1828. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Media related to Peterborough Unitarian Church at Wikimedia Commons
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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.
Everything a full report reveals about Peterborough Unitarian Church
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Questions about this property
When was Peterborough Unitarian Church listed on the National Register?
Peterborough Unitarian Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 22, 1973.
What type of historic resource is Peterborough Unitarian Church?
Peterborough Unitarian Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Peterborough Unitarian Church?
The period of significance for Peterborough Unitarian Church is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Peterborough Unitarian Church?
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