Meetinghouse History
Timeline...
1640 First white settlers in "Tunxis" area
1645 Incorporated as "Farmington"
1652 "Church Covenant" signed in Farmington
1666 First Farmington "Meeting-house" built
1709 - 1714 Construction of Farmington's second "Meeting-house"
1771 - 1772 Construction of our present "Meeting-house" by Judah Woodruff
1830 +/- "Improvements" made to the building, including new entrance porch, and probably converting box seats to pews.
1841 The Church houses the Africans from the Amistad and assists in raising money for their return to Africa, to the region now known as Sierra Leone.
1901 +/- "Improvements" to provide space for a new organ; the original raised pulpit probably was removed at that time. Also, the east wall of the building was altered, with new decorative finish on the inside and a two-story addition on the outside.
1952 - 1958 "Restoration" program carried out in an attempt to put the organ out-of-sight and raise the pulpit and "sounding-board" to original location.
The following was written by Dudley Prentice in October of 1970:
1645 Incorporated as "Farmington"
1652 "Church Covenant" signed in Farmington
1666 First Farmington "Meeting-house" built
1709 - 1714 Construction of Farmington's second "Meeting-house"
1771 - 1772 Construction of our present "Meeting-house" by Judah Woodruff
1830 +/- "Improvements" made to the building, including new entrance porch, and probably converting box seats to pews.
1841 The Church houses the Africans from the Amistad and assists in raising money for their return to Africa, to the region now known as Sierra Leone.
1901 +/- "Improvements" to provide space for a new organ; the original raised pulpit probably was removed at that time. Also, the east wall of the building was altered, with new decorative finish on the inside and a two-story addition on the outside.
1952 - 1958 "Restoration" program carried out in an attempt to put the organ out-of-sight and raise the pulpit and "sounding-board" to original location.
Our History, as I see it - R.D. Butterfield, March 31, 1986
The following was written by Dudley Prentice in October of 1970:
Edmund W. Sinnott in his book Meeting House and Church in Early New England, writes as follows: "In the town of Farmington, Connecticut, stands a meetinghouse of this type (speaking of the oblong shape which had followed the square shape), built in 1771, that has a spire regarded by many as the most beautiful in New England (page 49). The house is of interest for other reasons. Its builder's name is known to us, Captain Judah Woodruff. He was one of the best builders of his time, although not a professional architect. At the centennial of the Farmington Church, President Porter of Yale said of Woodruff: 'He was a man of taste and observation, and introduced a style of building, which added to the respectability of the dwellings of this village. His carving on the front of the pulpit, representing vines of the English ivy, was greatly admired.' The long axis is parallel to the street, and the main door, an exception of the general rule, is on the west side. The two rows of windows have been restored to their original complement of forty panes. Captain Woodruff's beautifully carved pulpit was taken out years ago, but one much like it has recently been installed. The porch over the main door, in the Greek style, is a later addition.
As usual in such a meetinghouse, the steeple is the most attractive feature. The tower is surmounted by an octagonal, columned belfry, and above this is another octagonal member from which rises the spire. There is nothing unique in this general design but the manner in which it is handled at Farmington is exquisite in its lightness and proportion. The delicate columns, the arched openings between, the carved wooden urns surmounting the corners above, the rich treatment of the woodwork, the upward sweep of line from cornice to vane, and the spire, flaring gracefully at its base like Gabriel's trump', together produce an effect unsurpassed by any other steeple. There are few things more delightful in New England architecture than this delicate structure soaring from the angularity of a Yankee meetinghouse".
The church that occupies this meetinghouse, the First Church of Christ Congregational, was organized by the seven pillars of the church in the year 1652, and has continuously occupied it since that time. Its first minister was Roger Newton. Samuel Hooker, son of the Thomas Hooker, founder and first minister of Hartford, succeeded him in 1661. The President Porter of Yale, mentioned above, was the son of Noah Porter, seventh minister of the church, who served as such from 1806 until 1866, and was also father of Miss Sarah Porter, founder of Miss Porter's School, which is adjacent to this church. The present pastor is the Rev. Harland G. Lewis, direct descendant of one of the earliest settlers in Farmington, William Lewis, builder of the first portion of the structure later to become the Elm Tree Inn, which stood on Farmington Avenue and is now the Elm Tree Apartments.
As usual in such a meetinghouse, the steeple is the most attractive feature. The tower is surmounted by an octagonal, columned belfry, and above this is another octagonal member from which rises the spire. There is nothing unique in this general design but the manner in which it is handled at Farmington is exquisite in its lightness and proportion. The delicate columns, the arched openings between, the carved wooden urns surmounting the corners above, the rich treatment of the woodwork, the upward sweep of line from cornice to vane, and the spire, flaring gracefully at its base like Gabriel's trump', together produce an effect unsurpassed by any other steeple. There are few things more delightful in New England architecture than this delicate structure soaring from the angularity of a Yankee meetinghouse".
The church that occupies this meetinghouse, the First Church of Christ Congregational, was organized by the seven pillars of the church in the year 1652, and has continuously occupied it since that time. Its first minister was Roger Newton. Samuel Hooker, son of the Thomas Hooker, founder and first minister of Hartford, succeeded him in 1661. The President Porter of Yale, mentioned above, was the son of Noah Porter, seventh minister of the church, who served as such from 1806 until 1866, and was also father of Miss Sarah Porter, founder of Miss Porter's School, which is adjacent to this church. The present pastor is the Rev. Harland G. Lewis, direct descendant of one of the earliest settlers in Farmington, William Lewis, builder of the first portion of the structure later to become the Elm Tree Inn, which stood on Farmington Avenue and is now the Elm Tree Apartments.
