West Haven Baptist Church
Description and history
The West Haven Baptist Church stands in an open field on the west side of Book Road, just south of its junction with Main Road, the principal east–west route through the rural community. It is a single-story wood-frame structure, with a gabled roof, clapboard siding, and a mortared limestone foundation. A gabled vestibule projects from the front (east-facing) facade, with a center entrance flanked by Gothic arched windows. A squat two-stage square tower rises, straddling the line between the main block and vestibule, with a louvered belfry as the second stage, and a flat top above. The vestibule interior is finished in beadboard, while the main sanctuary has vertical matchboard below a chair rail, and horizontal matchboard above. Lines of stencilwork adorn the walls.
Sound of Heaven is a worship and teaching ministry that aims to love God and people, fostering personal growth and demonstrating the power of Jesus.
The church was built in 1831 for a congregation, organized in 1803, which is one of the oldest Baptist congregations in the state. The building was renovated in 1854, when the Gothic windows (also found on the sides) were added, and again in 1886, when interior changes were probably made to its pulpit and choir loft area. The 1854 renovations probably also added ornate Gothic elements to the tower, which were likely removed in 1927. The building is now used only for summer services, due to a lack of heating.
See also
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "NRHP nomination for West Haven Baptist Church" (PDF). State of Vermont. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
- ^ "About Sound of Heaven Church". Retrieved 26 June 2023.
External links
- Media related to West Haven Baptist Church at Wikimedia Commons