First Universalist Church - Providence, Rhode Island
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N 41° 49.271 W 071° 25.033
19T E 299245 N 4632747
The First Universalist Church is on Washington Street in Providence, Rhode Island. Its congregation dates from 1821 and the current sanctuary was dedicated in 1872.
Waymark Code: WM16YJX
Location: Rhode Island, United States
Date Posted: 10/31/2022
Views: 1
The First Universalist Church is on Washington Street in Providence, Rhode Island. Its congregation dates from 1821 and this current sanctuary was dedicated 1872.
The building:
The congregation's first two houses of worship were at the junction of Westminster and Union Streets in Providence, about a quarter mile to the northeast. The original, a chapel from 1822, was destroyed by a fire in May 1825. A meetinghouse was rebuilt in time for Christmas that same year then used until February 24, 1871. This third and current church, a red brick Gothic Revival building, was designed by Edwin L. Howland (1838–1876), a local architect. Its entrances are located at the base of a square tower topped by a tall spire on the corner of Washington and Greene Streets. The doorways are framed by pointed stone arches. There are several windows in a variety of sizes and shapes on each side, all filled with some of the oldest American-made stained glass. Aside from flat stonework surrounding the openings, there is no exceptional exterior craft work to speak of beyond the plethora of colored glass. A sign mounted to the wall by the entrance on Washington Street reads:
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
Established 10 April 1821
at Westminster and Union Streets.
Third Sanctuary dedicated,
20 November 1872.
Founding member, Rhode Island
State Council of Churches, 1937.
Organizing member, Providence
Intown Churches Association, 1974.
Listed in the National Register
of Historic Places, 16 August 1977.
Beliefs:
"[O]ur Universalist Christian Church believes in the worldwide unity of the body of Christ, getting its name from proclaiming the universal salvation of all people in Jesus Christ. We welcome everyone to our services, and exist to build up the local body of believers. We desire to share our faith, firmly rooted in the Gospel of Christ, through worship, study, and fellowship together, in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." (Link)
Sources:
First Universalist Church in Providence
Wikipedia
Providence Preservation Society
NRHP Nomination Form (1977)