Boston Presbyterian Church, 1830s + 1908

The National Register nomination form for Boston Presbyterian notes: This is believed to be the only structure moved from the former settlement of Boston in 1861. At that time its name was changed from McIntosh Church to Bethany Presbyterian Church. For many years it was the only church building in Boston. The building is a wood-framed structure, originally three bays deep and two wide; in 1908 it was expanded toward the front (possibly enclosing an original porch or portico) and a new entry vestibule under a three-tiered centered tower was constructed. In 1910 the name was changed to Boston Presbyterian Church.

* It’s easy to see that the structure could have begun as a simple vernacular Greek Revival built before Boston relocated to its present location around the outset of the Civil War. The original section is contemporary to the church’s founding. I hope further research will be done. More evidence can be gleaned from  the evolution of the church cemetery. Dating to 1861, it became the final resting place of many from different denominations who worshiped here and eventually became the city cemetery.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.