Chatham's First Meeting House Plaque

plaque

CHATHAM'S FIRST MEETING HOUSE WAS BUILT IN
1700 - 1701 IN THE OLDER OF THE TWO BURIAL
GROUNDS ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THIS MARKER.
IT WAS 22 FEET SQUARE AND 13 FEET IN THE
WALL, WITH A POINTED ROOF, WINDOWS WITHOUT
GLASS, AND TWO SETS OF BENCHES FACING A
SMALL PULPIT.

THE MUCH LARGER SECOND MEETING HOUSE
BUILT IN 1729 - 1730 STOOD ACROSS OLD QUEEN
ANNE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE SECOND BURIAL
GROUND. IT WAS SUBSTANTIAL WITH GALLERIES ON
THREE SIDES, A RAISED PULPIT WITH A SOUNDING
BOARD, PEWS AND A PEAKED ROOF WITH A CUPOLA.
TWICE ENLARGED IT STOOD UNTIL ABOUT 1830.

A STILL LARGER THIRD CONGREGATIONAL
MEETING HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1830 AT THE UNION
CEMETERY AND MOVED TO ITS PRESENT LOCATION
AT THE CORNER OF MAIN STREET AND OLD
HARBOR ROAD IN 1866.

ERECTED BY THE CHATHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY
1883

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