First Congregational Church
Introduction
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First Congregational Church was built in 1907
Backstory and Context
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The congregation itself was founded around 1871 and built its first church, a small wood-frame structure called "God's Barn," in 1879. Before that, the congregation met in a barracks building. The current church was designed by local architect Joseph Schwarz, who also designed other buildings in the city including the former Carnegie Library. The church is a member of the United Church of Christ, which was established in 1957 to join Congregational, Christian, Evangelical, and Reformed denominations. Given its architecture and significance as an important local landmark, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Sources
Chamberlain, Fern. "First Congregational Church." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. August 18, 1983. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/83003012_text.
"We are a congregation of the United Church of Christ." First Congregational Church. Accessed January 9, 2020. https://www.firstcongucc.com/ucc.
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