National Register of Historic Places

Christian Union Society Meetinghouse

South Walden, Caledonia County, Vermont
Listed
May 22, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80000385

About this property

The Christian Union Society Meetinghouse, more recently known as the South Walden United Methodist Church, is a historic church on Bayley-Hazen Military Road in South Walden, Vermont. Built in 1825, it is a prominent local example of Federal style architecture. It is also notable for its association with a 19th-century religious movement in the region known as the "Age of Benevolence". The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The former Christian Union Society Meetinghouse stands in a rural area, north of the crossroads village of South Walden, on the west side of the Bayley Hazen Military Road. It is a two-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof, clapboarded exterior, and a foundation of stone and concrete. It is set on a steeply sloping lot, so from the front it appears as a single story, with the lower level almost fully exposed on three sides. A three-stage tower rises from the roof ridge, beginning with a square section with an open belfry. This is topped by two octagonal stages, each decreasing in size, and is topped by a bellcast cupola. The front facade is three bays wide, with sash windows flanking the entry, which is sheltered by a gabled hood supported by Italianate brackets. The interior is mainly the result of a late 19th-century renovation. The church was built in 1825 as a union church, serving four different Christian religious denominations. It was built on land belonging to Leonard Farrington, an early settler of the area. Vermont's Northeast Kingdom was at this time undergoing an intense religious revival known as the Age of Benevolence, in which a large number of churches were built throughout the region. The design of this building is based on that of a (now demolished) church in nearby Danville. The membership of three of the participating congregations declined in the 19th century, and the building eventually came under the full control of the Methodists. It underwent major renovations in 1897, and again in 1975–76, although the latter were primarily to modernize the basement space. National Register of Historic Places listings in Caledonia County, Vermont

Location

South Walden, Caledonia County, Vermont
44.47880, -72.29112

Categories

ARCHITECTURERELIGION
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

Caledonia No. 9 Grange Hall
Industrial
3.1 mi
Downtown Hardwick Village Historic District
Listed
4 mi
Downtown Hardwick Village Historic Diistrict (Boundary Increase)
Listed
4.2 mi
Building at 143 Highland Avenue
Civil War
4.2 mi
Greensboro Depot
Industrial
4.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Christian Union Society Meetinghouse listed on the National Register?

Christian Union Society Meetinghouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 22, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Christian Union Society Meetinghouse?

Christian Union Society Meetinghouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Christian Union Society Meetinghouse?

The period of significance for Christian Union Society Meetinghouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Christian Union Society Meetinghouse?

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