Evangelical Free "Union" Church and Alden House on Hamilton Street Southbridge Massachusetts

Evangelical Free "Union" Church and Alden House on Hamilton Street Southbridge Massachusetts

Church buildings--Massachusetts--Southbridge; Church architecture--Massachusetts--Southbridge; Parsonages--United States--Massachusetts--Southbridge; Southbridge(Mass.)--History; Historic buildings--Massachusetts--Southbridge; Historic buildings--New England; Architecture--United States--19th century; Southbridge (Mass.)--Pictorial works

The Evangelical Free "Union" Church was organized in 1854. The agent, executives of the Hamilton Woolen Company and other Globe Village businessmen initiated the construction project. As a consequence, it was often referred to as the Mill Church. The present structure was built in 1869. A large brick church with an impressive tower is shown. Built during a time when the designs of Protestant churches were changing from the severe and symmetrical Romanesque Revival, to the more imposing and complicated Victorian Gothic. The Romanesque Revival elements in this church are its regular fenestration, the tight, brisk articulation of the brick corbel tables, and the round arches. It's Victorian Gothic look is suggested by the imposing steeple with it's polychromatic roof slates. Romanesque motifs were preferred by the low churches. The Church is located on Hamilton Street in the Globe Village section of Southbridge. The rose window dominates the front of the building with its intricate stain glass. Steps lead to the stoop where the main entrance is located. There is an entrance to the east side of the church as well. In 1905, the Episcopal congregation named their mission Holy Trinity Church. Adjacent to the church is a three story, Stick Style clapboard building, known as the Alden House. This building is the best example of the Stick Style in Southbridge, although there are others in Southbridge, they tend to be more restrained in their composition. Wide flush boards articulate the structural skeleton of the house. It later became a parsonage. A small porch is located on the right side of the house. A triangular window is built out from the roof, over the main entrance. A metal fence around the perimeter of the roof top is viewable. Two chimneys appear through the roof. A woman in full-length clothing is standing in front of the dwelling. A water hydrant is situated on the pavement, just in front of the entrance to the house. Trees are dotted on each side of the road. A sidewalk is visible on the north side of the road, permitting access to the church and the dwelling. Electricity poles are running parallel to the dirt road. The Alden family also had a commercial enterprise on West Main Street and the building was known as the Alden Building.

Pease, Aaron H.

Image from page 25 of the A.H. Pease album #2

C/WMARS http://www.cwmars.org/

1903-06-06

Is part of the photographic collection of the Jacob Edwards Library, Southbridge, Massachusetts. http://www.jacobedwardslibrary.org

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42 degrees 04' N72 degrees 02' W