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Coordinates: 44°28′3″N 69°40′30″W / 44.46750°N 69.67500°W / 44.46750; -69.67500
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{{short description|Historic church in Maine, United States}}
{{Infobox nrhp

| name = River Meetinghouse
{{Infobox NRHP
| nrhp_type =
| name = River Meetinghouse
| image =
| nrhp_type =
| caption =
| image = VassalboroME_RiverMeetinghouse.jpg
| location= U.S. 201, [[Vassalboro, Maine]]
| caption =
| lat_degrees = 44
| location = [[United States Route 201|U.S. 201]] at Oak Grove Rd., [[Vassalboro, Maine]]
| lat_minutes = 28
| coordinates = {{coord|44|28|3|N|69|40|30|W|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| lat_seconds = 3
| locmapin = Maine#USA
| lat_direction = N
| built = {{start date|1786}}; restyled 1895
| long_degrees = 69
| architect = Douglas, William H.
| long_minutes = 40
| architecture = Shingle Style
| long_seconds = 30
| added = September 19, 1977
| long_direction = W
| area = {{convert|0.5|acre|ha}}
| coord_display = inline,title
| refnum = 77000073<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>
| coord_parameters = region:US_type:landmark
| locmapin = Maine
| built = 1786
| architect = Douglas,William H.
| architecture = Shingle Style
| added = September 19, 1977
| area = {{convert|0.5|acre}}
| governing_body = Private
| refnum = 77000073<ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2009-03-13|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>
}}
}}
The '''Oak Grove Chapel''', also known historically as the '''River Meetinghouse''' and the '''Sophia D. Bailey Chapel''', is a non-denominational chapel at [[United States Route 201]] and Oak Grove Road in [[Vassalboro, Maine]]. Built in 1786 as a [[Quaker]] meetinghouse, it was Vassalboro's first religious building. In 1895 it was restyled in the Shingle style, with a portico and tower added, and converted to non-denomination use by the Oak Grove-Coburn School (since closed). The building was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1977.<ref name=nris/>


==Description and history==
'''River Meetinghouse''' is a historic church on U.S. 201 in [[Vassalboro, Maine]].
The Oak Grove Chapel stands in a rural area north of Vassalboro's village center, at the northeast corner of US 201 and Oak Grove Road. The campus of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, formerly that of the [[Oak Grove-Coburn School]], lies just east of, and across Oak Grove Road, from the chapel. It is a single-story short-legged T-shaped wood frame structure, with gabled roofs and a square tower rising from one of the T's corners. The exterior is almost entirely shingled, with rounded arches predominating as an architectural detail, from the main entrance portico on the right to the semicircular floral panel on the end of the T, and the secondary entrance to its left. The tower rises to an open [[belvedere (structure)|belvedere]] with round-arch openings, and is topped by a pyramidal roof.<ref name=NRHP>{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|77000073}}|title=NRHP nomination for River Meetinghouse|publisher=[[National Park Service]] |author=Robert Bradley; Frank Beard |date=1977|accessdate=2016-06-30}} with {{NRHP url|id=77000073|photos=y|title=photos from 1977}}</ref>

The area that became Vassalboro was settled in the 1770s by a group of Quakers from [[Nantucket]]. The core of the present chapel was built in 1786 to serve as their meetinghouse, and later became the site of quarterly regional meetings. To provide for the education of their children, the Quakers also established the Oak Grove School, which merged with [[Waterville, Maine|Waterville's]] [[Coburn Classical Institute]] in 1970 and closed in 1989. With enrollment in the church declining, its meetinghouse was formally deeded to the school in 1895, which used it as a non-denominational chapel. It was at that time given extensive alteration, designed by [[William H. Douglas (architect)|William H. Douglas]] and funded by Sophia D. Bailey. During the school's ownership it was known as the Sophia D. Bailey Memorial Chapel.<ref name=NRHP/>

==See also==
*[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Kennebec County, Maine]]


It was built in 1786 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}



{{National Register of Historic Places}}
{{National Register of Historic Places}}
[[Category:Churches in Maine]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Maine]]
[[Category:Queen Anne architecture]]
[[Category:1786 architecture]]


[[Category:Quaker meeting houses in Maine]]
{{Maine-NRHP-stub}}
[[Category:Churches in Kennebec County, Maine]]
[[Category:Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine]]
[[Category:Churches completed in 1786]]
[[Category:Shingle Style church buildings]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Kennebec County, Maine]]
[[Category:18th-century Quaker meeting houses]]
[[Category:Vassalboro, Maine]]
[[Category:Shingle Style architecture in Maine]]

Latest revision as of 01:56, 26 May 2022

River Meetinghouse
River Meetinghouse is located in Maine
River Meetinghouse
River Meetinghouse is located in the United States
River Meetinghouse
LocationU.S. 201 at Oak Grove Rd., Vassalboro, Maine
Coordinates44°28′3″N 69°40′30″W / 44.46750°N 69.67500°W / 44.46750; -69.67500
Area0.5 acres (0.20 ha)
Built1786 (1786); restyled 1895
ArchitectDouglas, William H.
Architectural styleShingle Style
NRHP reference No.77000073[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 19, 1977

The Oak Grove Chapel, also known historically as the River Meetinghouse and the Sophia D. Bailey Chapel, is a non-denominational chapel at United States Route 201 and Oak Grove Road in Vassalboro, Maine. Built in 1786 as a Quaker meetinghouse, it was Vassalboro's first religious building. In 1895 it was restyled in the Shingle style, with a portico and tower added, and converted to non-denomination use by the Oak Grove-Coburn School (since closed). The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[1]

Description and history

[edit]

The Oak Grove Chapel stands in a rural area north of Vassalboro's village center, at the northeast corner of US 201 and Oak Grove Road. The campus of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, formerly that of the Oak Grove-Coburn School, lies just east of, and across Oak Grove Road, from the chapel. It is a single-story short-legged T-shaped wood frame structure, with gabled roofs and a square tower rising from one of the T's corners. The exterior is almost entirely shingled, with rounded arches predominating as an architectural detail, from the main entrance portico on the right to the semicircular floral panel on the end of the T, and the secondary entrance to its left. The tower rises to an open belvedere with round-arch openings, and is topped by a pyramidal roof.[2]

The area that became Vassalboro was settled in the 1770s by a group of Quakers from Nantucket. The core of the present chapel was built in 1786 to serve as their meetinghouse, and later became the site of quarterly regional meetings. To provide for the education of their children, the Quakers also established the Oak Grove School, which merged with Waterville's Coburn Classical Institute in 1970 and closed in 1989. With enrollment in the church declining, its meetinghouse was formally deeded to the school in 1895, which used it as a non-denominational chapel. It was at that time given extensive alteration, designed by William H. Douglas and funded by Sophia D. Bailey. During the school's ownership it was known as the Sophia D. Bailey Memorial Chapel.[2]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Robert Bradley; Frank Beard (1977). "NRHP nomination for River Meetinghouse". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-06-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) with photos from 1977