New England

One of the best-preserved meetinghouses in New England is in Rockingham, Vermont. It was completed in 1801, and like many early meetinghouses it was used for both church services and town meetings. However, later in the 19th century the town’s population began to shift eastward toward the manufacturing village of Bellows Falls. No longer centrally located, the meetinghouse was last used for church services in 1839, and for town meetings in 1869. It was largely vacant for many years, but it was ultimately restored in 1907, around the time that the first photo was taken.

Overall, the many years of disuse helped ensure its preservation. It had few alterations, both on the exterior and interior, and it never even received modern amenities like heat or electricity . Today, its appearance has hardly changed since the first photo was taken more than 110 years ago. It is still owned by the town of Rockingham, and it is rented out as a venue for weddings and other functions.