First Congregational Church - Common Historic District - Reading, MA
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neoc1
N 42° 31.501 W 071° 06.256
19T E 327166 N 4710216
First Congregational Church is a contributing building to the Common Historic District. It is located at 25 Woburn Street in the Town Common area of Reading, MA
Waymark Code: WM132VH
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 09/04/2020
Views: 0
The congregation of the First Congregational Church of Reading first gathered on February 21, 1770 as the 3rd Parish Church. In 1815 construction of a federal style church building began at the north end of the Town Common in Reading. It was first occupied in 1818.
The construction of the present building began in 1909 in the Collegiate Neo-Gothic style designed by Willard P. Adden, Winthrop D. Parker and C.C. Temple. The church was completed and dedicated in 1911. The orange granite church is built in the form of a cross. On the front is set of stairs leading up to a double entrance. Above the entrance is a tall trefoil, Gothic style, window and a wide gabled roof. A crenellated bell tower with a double set of louvered windows is to the west of the entrance. On the west an entrance is located at the base of the bell tower. The apse features a gabled roof and an identical trefoil windows matching the window on the front. (
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