North Cornwall Meeting House marks 200 years

CORNWALL – The 200th anniversary of the North Cornwall Meeting House commemorated a tale of separation and reconciliation.

The landmark at Town Street and Cogswell Road was built in 1826 as the home of the Second Congregational Church of Cornwall, which had split from the First Congregational Church four decades earlier. The two congregations reunited in 1988 to form the United Church of Christ in Cornwall, which now owns the meeting house.

The anniversary was celebrated this past weekend with meals, music, lectures and prayer. Such a commemoration has been held every 50 years since the building’s construction.

On Friday evening, a program followed a picnic dinner at which Virginia Gold, Tracy Gray and Rebecca Hurlburt discussed how the building came to be.

Following tradition, Gold was among the young people named 50 years ago to help lead the 200th anniversary celebration.

“Buildings have stories, as people do,” she told those seated in the pews, “and this building has plenty of stories.” She noted three important elements of its history: finances, personal power and religious freedom.

Back in the late 1700s, her fifth-great-grandfather, the Rev. Hezekiah Gold, refused to accept paper money for his salary as pastor of the First Congregational Church.

When the Revolutionary War broke out, he wanted to be paid with English currency. “It didn’t go well,” Gold said.

The minister faced dissension, splitting the congregation between those who supported Gold and those who left to form the Second Congregational Church of Cornwall in 1786.

Those who left the congregation worshiped for 40 years in a shell of a poorly-constructed building until a decision was made to build a new church. Dissent continued over where to locate it, so a county judge was called upon to settle the controversy.

Noah Rogers conveyed the land on which the current building sits for $50. Members got to work and many of the materials were donated by local citizens. The building was constructed in 1826.

Gray focused on the building’s Federal-style architecture, which featured eight solid chestnut pillars given for the sanctuary. Many parishioners provided trees. The pulpit was reached by a high staircase on each side. A bell tower featuring a spire transitioned the building from a civic center to a church.

Over the years, the building has gone through several restorations. A bell was added after 18 years and an organ was installed in 1906. The 1926 celebration featured the addition of a Palladian window.

Hurlburt brought the audience back to 1926, when Samuel Scoville, Jr., Esq. was charged with how to prepare for the centennial. He talked about the extensive renovations that would be needed, including a spire, organ, new carpets and candle sconces, among other improvements. The estimated cost was $10,000 and Scoville had to raise it all, which he did. “It would be another hundred years before there was another renovation,” Hurlburt said.

Now, upgrades are made under the auspices of the non-profit Friends of the North Cornwall Meeting House, which raises the funds. Its current chairman, David Hubbard, said, “Our mission is to support the preservation of this building. It’s a landmark for all the people of Cornwall.”

While summer services for the UCC are held there, so are many community events, such as lectures and concerts.

In her conclusion, Gold told of the continuance of the two churches. Although members often participated in common events, even worshipping together, they were still separate. Attempts to join together failed until a series of committee studies and meetings met with success in 1988.

“They had to overcome stubbornness, pride and greed,” she said. “But the truth is, there was grace on all sides of the debate. I learned about the independent thinking of our ancestors. This building represents what it takes to set down grievances.”

The weekend also featured an organ concert on Saturday by Hector Migliacci, who was raised in Cornwall, and Old Home Sunday Worship with guest minister, the Rev. Kent Siladi.

The committee for the 250th celebration in 2076 has been named: Grayson Dinneen, Lily Danforth Gold, Emma Hart LeBeau, Spencer Markow, Abbe Scoville and Theo Wescott.