First Baptist Church
- Present
Currently the First
Baptist Church
See additional information
under pictures
First Baptist Church - Past
A Painting (below) by Ellen
Carpenter - Boston Artist Showing Monument Sq.
with house on the property
occupied now by the Baptist Church.
The accompaning map drawn
1835 shows Monument Sq. pre-Monument
A point of reference is
the "Acadamy" which was located where now the
Walker Bldg. stands.
First Baptist Church - from Ella Bigelow's Book
The Baptist church in Fayville is generally conceded to be mother of the Baptist church in Marlborough. The first prayer meeting was held at the house of W. D. Walker, ,July 1866. These meetings were continued for a year from house to house. The first public service of the new society was held in Sons of Temperance hall, ,July 21, 1867, and in 1868, the church `vas permanently organized at the house of W. D. Walker. The first pastor was M. R. Deming. The first baptism took place in 1868 at Gates Pond when Rufus F. Stove, Dora Angier and Ella F. Grant were baptized by the above pastor. In August 1868, the Lord's supper was observed for the first time, using a communion set presented them by the Union Temple Sunday- school, Boston, Mass. In 1869, the old Marlborough Town Hall was bid off at auction by Pastor Deming and was moved upon the lot owned by the society on Main street opposite the Old Colony R. R. station. The hall was then raised, stores finished off underneath to rent, and the upper story used to hold meetings at a cost of $8,500, and it was called Fulton hall. In 1887, this property sold, a lot purchased at corner of Witherbee and Mechanic streets, and the present church built and dedicated in 1899.
List of pastors to date (1910):
Revs. M. R. Deming, ,J. T. Burhoe, ,J. H. Barrows, L. W. Frink, Charles
R. Powers, C. S. Scott, U. S. Davis, J. M. Wyman, S. R. McCurdy, M. R.
Foshay.
First Baptist Church
Monument Square
Submitted by Viki Vento
Our congregation originally met at the Fulton Hall property located on the corner of Main and Florence Streets when it was decided that a larger, more suitable building was necessary. That property was sold for $10,500 and the present site, formerly owned by S.H. Howe (Marlborough's first mayor), was purchased for $7,500. The balance of $3,000 was used for the foundation of the First Baptist Church, Monument Square.
On May 20, 1888, the vestries were opened and for two years served as the meeting place for the congregation. The church was completed in December 1889 at a cost of about $42,000. The sanctuary, which was dedicated on December 4, 1889, seated 754 people.
The architectural style is Queen Anne. There is a square belfry on the southeast corner, a rounded northeast corner, and a hexagonal protuberance at the southwest extremity. There is a needle-like spire alongside the belfry. The building, it has been said, was perhaps patterned in miniature on a very old cathedral in Europe. The church was originally constructed just as you see it today--there were no additions made to the original building.
The three stained-glass windows in the sanctuary were dedicated to the memory of loved ones by church members and are original, although they were extensively repaired and strengthened between 1967 and 1968.
The "Victory Memorial Bell" in our bell tower, was purchased from the McNeeley Company of Troy, NY and weighs 600 pounds. There is a tribute to Lt. Monroe Brigham, who gave his life in service to our country on one side, and the names of 67 men and women of the church who served in the Armed Forces during World War I on the other side. The bell was first rung on April 2, 1919 by Lt. Brigham's mother, in memory of those who had died in the war.
On September 21, 1938 a hurricane struck and our city was littered with uprooted trees, telephone poles and fragments of rooftops. The storm lasted three hours, and the steeples of I.C. Church and the Unitarian Church were ruined. Our steeple remained in tact, as did the entire structure, with very minimal damage.
Remodeling work began on the sanctuary on July 23, 1959, and was completed on March 27, 1960. Earl Aldrich of Hudson was the architect. The efforts of this remodeling resulted in the sanctuary as viewed today. The Tracker Type organ was moved to the balcony in order to maximize tone quality and to make space for much needed Sunday school rooms. During this move, the organ was completely rebuilt and electrified by Earle Reed of West Boylston.
Of special interest is the fiberglass
baptistry, which was installed during the renovation. This baptistry
is filled with water for the purpose of "total immersion" baptism.
The reason we do this is to symbolize a total cleansing and rebirth in
Jesus Christ.
In 1986, Tony Patuto of Marlborough
repainted the vestry, stairwells, and sanctuary. In 1987, the building
was 100 years old, and the outside of the building was repainted (white).
That year, the foyer and staircase were also recarpeted.
In 1994, members of the church and community began the "Historical Restoration and Accessibility Project" for the church. The purpose of this major fundraising effort was to restore the building to its original colors, repair the bell tower (which was structurally unstable), and make the building handicapped accessible. A paint analysis and study was done, and the building was restored to its original color scheme. The repairs and painting were done by Moores Steeple People of Chicopee.
The Victory Bell, which had not been rung for several years due to the instability of the bell tower, was rung again on November 11, 1995 (Veteran's Day). The newly installed elevator was dedicated January 1996, and members of the community were given the opportunity to venture up to the bell tower. The bell tower was illuminated as a "beacon of hope" to the community.
In recognition of the restoration of the historic building to its original color scheme, the church received the 1995 Marlborough Pride Award and the 1996 Preservation Award from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.
On March 31, 1999 at about 9:00 p.m., the steeple of the church caught fire. Nasi Economou, whose parents own Marlboro House of Pizza, had stepped outside and noticed the steeple on fire. The quick response by Nasi and the Marlborough Fire Department spared the church from ruin. The fire caused $75,000 in damage to the steeple, but did not spread to the rest of the building. The cause of the fire was most likely pigeons nesting on the halogen light in the steeple. Once again, Tom Moore of Moore Steeple People returned to Marlborough. He removed the burned steeple, reconstructed it, and replaced it in August 1999.
Post Card Images from Paul Polewacyk's Collection
Card posted Mar. 1907
to Mr. Wm. Geary 3 Howe Court Marlboro, Ma.
Three diferent views of the church
Paul Polewacyk's CollectionCars in picture
are 1936 - 1938 vintage
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