The first Congregational church to be built in Meriden was erected in 1727 in the south-eastern section of town. This was succeeded by a new building in 1755, in the center of town. This was then replaced by a new church, erected in 1830 nearby, at the corner of Broad and East Main Streets. This is the oldest surviving church building in Meriden. It was originally the home of the First Congregational Church, but the church split in 1848. With the center of population in the town moving westward, three-quarters of the congregation left to form a new First Congregational Church, while the remainder continued at the old location, which was renamed Center Congregational Church. Added 12/01/2011: Here is an interesting excerpt from A Modern History of New Haven and Eastern New Haven County, Volume 1 (1918):
It was a notable example of New England church architecture which the separating few who formed Center Church secured in 1848. It was and is one of the best specimens in Connecticut of the pure Doric edifice, its most prominent rivals in this section being the old North Church on New Haven Green and the distinguished old Congregational Church in Madison. Set on a hill, preserved within in harmony with its appearance without, it is an inspiration to worship and to service.
It was Rev. Ashabel A. Stevens who came to lead the seceders who formed Center Church. He remained with them until 1854. Rev. James C. Wilson was pastor from 1892 to 1896, being succeeded by Rev. John H. Grant. In 1911 Rev. Thomas B. Powell, previously assistant pastor of Plymouth Church of New Haven, and later at Livingston, Montana, was called. His winning and self sacrificing leadership has greatly built up the church, which now has a membership of approximately 500. Under previous pastors the people had kept the church appointments within in harmony with its dignified architecture. The bare old windows had been replaced with leaded glass of colonial pattern, and the decorations had been made to conform to the Ionic type of architecture.
Mr. Powell found a fine old church building, but his experience had taught him that the modern church needs something more than an audience room by which to serve its community. The only approach to chapel or parish house was the basement, which after the manner of many New England basements had been fitted up as a “lecture room,” and had to serve for Sunday School, prayer meetings and all social gatherings. Moreover, the problem of securing a place on which to erect a parish house, if the church was ready to build one, was difficult. The building stands on an extremely steep side hill, so steep that the basement, and even the rear of the sub-basement, stand out of ground. No available land for another building was found in the vicinity. Anything in the nature of a lean-to would spoil the architecture of the church.
So Mr. Powell suddenly decided to make a virtue of the church’s difficulty and necessity. First, he “dug out” the basement. That is, he so excavated at its sides that, except at the front, it is completely a daylight room. Then he extended the sub-basement under the whole’ building. So he had, beneath the church, what was virtually a parish house of two stories. This was rearranged, redecorated and in general made into a modern auxiliary church building. At a cost far beneath that of a separate building, with the maximum of convenience and without in the least marring the symmetry of its fine structure, the Center Church had an efficient parish house. In this work, which the pastor inspired and directed, the people-have supported him amply with enthusiasm, hard work and funds.