First Congregational Church in Bloomfield (1858)

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For Thanksgiving, we focus on the First Congregational Church in Bloomfield. Originally established as the parish of Wintonbury, the first meetinghouse was erected in 1737 and the first official gathering was in 1738. A second meetinghouse was built in 1801 and served for 56 years before being moved aside for the current church building, built in 1858. Wintonbury had by then became the Town of Bloomfield in 1835. The church’s steeple blew down in 1862 and was replaced with a sturdier one that includes a clock.

First Congregational Church of Coventry (1849)

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The first Congregational meetinghouse in Coventry was built on the green in 1715. In 1842, the congregation became divided over the issue of whether to build a new church or retain the original structure. One group built the current church building, known as the “Village Church,” on Main Street in 1849, while the other repaired the original building and turned it to face the green. The two churches coexisted separately until they were reunited in 1869, thenceforward using the 1849 building, now called First Church. The steeple was destroyed by lightning in 1903 and a replacement was soon constructed.

Collinsville Congregational Church (1858)

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The Collins Company paid for the construction of the first Collinsville Congregational Church building in 1836. It was built as part of Collinsville, the village set up in South Canton by Samuel Collins for his workers. When the original church burned in 1857, the company again provided funds (added to the insurance settlement), as did Sam Collins and others in the village. The new Greek Revival-style Collinsville Congregational Church was completed in 1858.

First Church of Christ, Simsbury (1830)

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The first meeting house in Simsbury was built in 1683. In 1736 there were lengthy debates over where to build a new and larger second meeting house, which was eventually constructed on Drake’s Hill. Construction commenced in 1740, but in 1743 services began in what was still an unfinished building, only completed in 1777. This was replaced by the current church, at the same location, in 1830. The minister at the time was Rev. Allen McLean, whose grandson, George Payne McLean was later a senator and governor of Connecticut. The First Church of Christ in Simsbury has undergone various restorations and several additions over the years.

First Congregational Church, Canton Center (1814)

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A separate Ecclesiastical Society for western Simsbury was established in 1750, although a meetinghouse was not constructed until 1763. In 1806, it became the First Ecclesiastical Society of Canton when that section of Simsbury was incorporated as its own town. In 1814, a second and larger meetinghouse was constructed on the site of the first, on Cherry Brook Road in Canton Center. In 1873, the church was remodeled inside and Gothic stained glass windows were added. Since 1967, the windows and interior have been restored to an approximation of the earlier style. The church’s address is 184 Cherry Brook Road.

Also, if you have not yet read my latest article on architecture, it is now available! The subject is Greek Revival Houses!