Swedish Zion Congregational Church (1892)

Over a century ago, Hartford’s Frog Hollow neighborhood was home to a significant Scandinavian immigrant community. A number of churches were established at the time. I’ve previously featured the Swedish Bethel Baptist Church on this site (it’s also mentioned in Tour 9 in my new book, A Guide to Historic Hartford, Connecticut). Nearby, at 87 Russ Street, at the corner of Hungerford Street, is another church built by a group of Swedes. In 1883, Rev. C. J. Erixon, a home missionary for the Congregational Church, began preaching to Swedish immigrants in Hartford. The group became known as the Swedish Evangelical Free Church. In 1889, L. W. A. Bjorkman became the first permanent pastor and the congregation took a new name, the Swedish Evangelical Zion Church (Svenska Evangeliska Zion-kongregationalförsamlingen i Hartford), also known as the Swedish Zion Congregational Church. In 1890, the church became part of the local branch of the Evangelical Covenant Church, which was largely a Swedish denomination at the time. From 1892 to 1960, the church was located at the building in Frog Hollow. In 1938, the church changed its name to the Covenant Congregational Church and in 1960 the church moved to West Hartford, where most of its membership resided. The Hartford church building was sold to the Hartford Full Gospel Church (the address is now 77 Hungerford Street).

Beacon Falls Congregational Church (1871)

The Beacon Falls Congregational Church was originally a Methodist Episcopal Church, founded in 1846. The first church building was built next to what is now Pines Bridge Cemetery. A small meeting house, it burned in a fire. After 1850, the church moved to another small building on Main Street, near Lebanon Brook. That structure later became an American Legion Hall and is now Beacon Falls Pizza. The current church on Wolfe Avenue, built on land donated by the Home Wollen Mill, was completed in 1871 and dedicated on January 11, 1872. The church became Congregational in 1919. A member of The United Church of Christ from 1957 to 2005, the Beacon Falls Congregational Church is now an independent Congregational Church.

Park Street Congregational Church (1871)

In 1867, Congregational services began to be held in East Bridgeport in the Bethesda Mission Chapel on East Washington Street. A church was formally organized the following year and in 1870-1871, Park Street Congregational Church was built at the corner of Park and Barnum Streets, fronting Washington Park. The Gothic Revival building was designed by architect Abram Skaats. The church‘s membership peaked in the 1930s and 1940s, but declined after World War II. In 1988, Park Street Congregational Church merged with Trinity United Church of Christ of Trumbull to form Unity Hill United Church of Christ, located at 364 White Plains Road in Trumbull. The former Park Street Congregational Church is now Calvary Temple Christian Center.

Wolcott Congregational Church (1842)

The first meetinghouse of the Wolcott Congregational Church was built in 1773 on “Benson’s Hill” in Farmingbury, where Farmington and Waterbury then met. It is now the location of Wolcott Green. Farmingbury became the Town of Wolcott in 1796. The current church was constructed in 1841-1842 on the site of the earlier meetinghouse, which burned down in 1839. Brick additions were made to the church in the 1930s and a parish house was attached around 1950.

Plantsville Congregational Church (1866)

Members of the Southington Congregational Church met in 1863 to form a new congregation in the Plantsville section of town. The Plantsville Congregational Church was built at 99 Church Street in 1866. An excellent example of the Gothic Revival style, it was designed by J. Cleveland Cady, a nationally prominent architect. An 1868 book entitled The Architects’ and Builders’ Guide: An Elaborate Description of all the Public, Commercial, Philanthropic, Literary, & Ecclesiastical Buildings Already Constructed, and About to be Erected Next Spring in New York and its Environs, with their Cost Respectively, and the Names of the Architects and Builders, by John W. Kennion, contains the following description of “The New Congregational Church at Plantsville, Conn.,”

This building, designed by Mr. J. C. Cady, Architect of New York, is of the Gothic style, adapted carefully to the wants of the congregation. It is completely free from all shams and make-believes. The interior wood-work is of chestnut and black walnut, (except the framings of the open timber roof, which is of pine,) all waxed or oiled, showing the natural and beautiful grain of the wood. The walls are colored in flat tint, the ceiling a deep blue, and the side walls a delicate harmonious neutral. The windows are filled with stained glass of quiet and pleasing tones. Back of the pulpit, is a large arched opening, richly moulded, which is the frame of the apse, or semi-circular alcove, in which are the clergymen’s seats. Two large dormer windows in the roof, one either side of the pulpit, contribute greatly to the light and cheerfulness of that portion of the church—the light falling down upon the pulpit and the people, and not being directly in the eyes of the congregation, as is the case where there are windows back of the pulpit. It is capable of seating about five hundred worshipers, all of whom can see the speaker, hear him as easily as in an ordinary room, and enjoy good ventilation. The exterior of the church is quite picturesque, with graceful tower and spire, capacious porches, gables, &c., all harmonizing with the situation and expressive of their various purposes.

United Churches of Durham (1847)

Happy Easter!!! The original meeting house of Durham’s Congregational church stood on the northeast corner of the town Green from 1736 to 1835. When it was decided to replace the old building, there was a struggle in town between those to the south, who wanted the new church to be built near the Green, and those to the north, who wanted it to be built north of Allyn Brook. It was eventually built near the Green, but those living south of Allyn Brook made a larger contribution to its construction. On Thanksgiving Day, 1844, the new building burned down (a suspected case of arson). Those on the north side now succeeded in having the new church built on their side of the brook while south siders paid nothing and were even compensated for their expense for the previous building. The new North Congregational Church was dedicated in June, 1847, but the dispute was not over: that same year 67 members left the church and formed a separate South Congregational Church. The two congregations united again in 1886 and the South Church became Durham’s Town Hall. In 1941 the Congregational and Methodist Churches joined to form the United Churches of Durham.

Scotland Congregational Church (1842)

The town of Scotland began as a parish within the town of Windham in 1732, incorporating as a separate town in 1857. As described in the 1889 History of Windham County:

The new society met to organize June 22d, 1732, at the house of Nathaniel Huntington. […] After settling some disputes as to the law in regard to electing officers, the society unanimously set to work to locate and build a meeting house. The site decided upon was ” a knoll, east side of Merrick’s brook, south side of the road from Windham to Canterbury.” Nathaniel Huntington, who owned the land, promptly made over a quarter of an acre for that purpose. June 25th, 1733, it was voted to build a house 43 by 33 feet and twenty feet high, the roof and sides to be, covered with chestnut sawed shingles and clapboards. The work went bravely forward and by November 20th a society meeting was held in the house. Then the windows were glazed, and rough board seats provided, as well as a ” conveniency for a minister to stand by to preach.” […]

[In 1772], it was voted to build a new meeting house, the vote calling out 98 “yeas” and 20 “nays.” It was agreed to give Mr. Elisha Lillie £750 for building the house. It was several years in course of construction. It was completed enough to be seated in December, 1778, and in the following May the work was formally accepted from the hands of Mr. Lillie, the contractor. The old building then being offered for sale at auction, brought seventeen pounds.

The third and current meeting house on the Scotland Green was built in 1842 and, again quoting from the History of Windham County, “A neat and convenient chapel was purchased and fitted up adjoining the church in 1867.” The Chapel had been built in 1842 and had been the Town Hall. (more…)