First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery
May 03, 2024
The First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery are an historic church and cemetery in Bowdoin, Maine. The church, a modest transitional Federal style-Greek Revival building, was built in 1839 for a congregation founded in 1788, and the cemetery is of similar antiquity. The property was the first in the town to be the subject of active preservation efforts. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[1]
First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery
The First Baptist Church is set on a rural parcel in central eastern Bowdoin, a few hundred feet west of United States Route 201. It and the adjacent cemetery are accessed via an unlabeled dirt road that runs west across an open field and into the woods surrounding the church and cemetery. The church is a modest single-story wood frame structure, with a gabled roof, clapboard siding, and a granite foundation. The main facade, facing east, has an elaborate entrance, the door framed by panels and a transom window, with pilasters and a Federal style fan as an outer surround. The sides each have two windows. The interior has a vestibule that opens into the sanctuary, which has three sections of bench pews and a raised pulpit.[2]
The cemetery which stands behind the church is a family cemetery that belonged to the Eaton and Coombs families. It is surrounded by a low stone wall, added in 1900 when the church underwent restoration.[2]
The First Baptist Church of Bowdoin was organized in 1788, and its first church was built in 1799. That building was destroyed by an arsonist in 1834, and the present building was constructed soon afterward. The congregation, apparently always small, dwindled during the 19th century, and the property eventually reverted to members of the Coombs family, on whose land it had been built. John and Viola Coombs in 1900 undertook the restoration of the church and their ancestral cemetery. Viola Coombs gave Bowdoin College an endowment for its maintenance.[2] The college has since transferred the endowment and responsibility for the property's care to the local historical society.
^ abc"NRHP nomination for First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery". National Park Service. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
External linksedit
Bowdoin Historical Society web site
First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery at Find a Grave
May 03, 2024
first, baptist, church, bowdoin, coombs, cemetery, historic, church, cemetery, bowdoin, maine, church, modest, transitional, federal, style, greek, revival, building, built, 1839, congregation, founded, 1788, cemetery, similar, antiquity, property, first, town. The First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery are an historic church and cemetery in Bowdoin Maine The church a modest transitional Federal style Greek Revival building was built in 1839 for a congregation founded in 1788 and the cemetery is of similar antiquity The property was the first in the town to be the subject of active preservation efforts It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 1 First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs CemeteryU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtShow map of MaineShow map of the United StatesLocationoff US 201 Bowdoin MaineCoordinates44 2 22 N 69 56 44 W 44 03944 N 69 94556 W 44 03944 69 94556Area2 acres 0 81 ha Built1839 1839 Architectural styleFederal Greek RevivalNRHP reference No 97000604 1 Added to NRHPJune 20 1997 Contents 1 Description and history 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksDescription and history editThe First Baptist Church is set on a rural parcel in central eastern Bowdoin a few hundred feet west of United States Route 201 It and the adjacent cemetery are accessed via an unlabeled dirt road that runs west across an open field and into the woods surrounding the church and cemetery The church is a modest single story wood frame structure with a gabled roof clapboard siding and a granite foundation The main facade facing east has an elaborate entrance the door framed by panels and a transom window with pilasters and a Federal style fan as an outer surround The sides each have two windows The interior has a vestibule that opens into the sanctuary which has three sections of bench pews and a raised pulpit 2 The cemetery which stands behind the church is a family cemetery that belonged to the Eaton and Coombs families It is surrounded by a low stone wall added in 1900 when the church underwent restoration 2 The First Baptist Church of Bowdoin was organized in 1788 and its first church was built in 1799 That building was destroyed by an arsonist in 1834 and the present building was constructed soon afterward The congregation apparently always small dwindled during the 19th century and the property eventually reverted to members of the Coombs family on whose land it had been built John and Viola Coombs in 1900 undertook the restoration of the church and their ancestral cemetery Viola Coombs gave Bowdoin College an endowment for its maintenance 2 The college has since transferred the endowment and responsibility for the property s care to the local historical society See also editNational Register of Historic Places listings in Sagadahoc County MaineReferences edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 a b c NRHP nomination for First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery National Park Service Retrieved April 1 2016 External links editBowdoin Historical Society web site First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery at Find a Grave nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title First Baptist Church of Bowdoin and Coombs Cemetery amp oldid 1169025134, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
