Description
Waitsfield United Church of Christ is an iconic Vermont church located right along Route 100 in the village of Waitsfield.
Early worship services were performed in Benjamin Wait’s barn, the Town’s namesake, which dates back to the Town of Waitsfield’s establishment. On June 27, 1796, the church was formally established as a congregational church, the first in Washington County. Their desire to give back to the community is symbolized by the relocation of our church. The first meetinghouse, which followed the barn, was located on the Town Common; the second, which was located nearer the settlement on Mill Hill; and the third, which is currently located in the center of the village, was built in 1875.
The Reverend James H. Babbitt, who served as the church’s pastor from 1868 until 1876, is credited with designing the building. It’s unclear what kind of instruction he had in architecture. With its original projecting polygonal bay display windows and Romanesque Revival-style church, it is among the best examples of a commercial structure in the Greek Revival style in the state. The Great Eddy Covered Bridge, the state’s oldest continuously used covered bridge, is situated close to the church.
After a prosperous capital campaign, our 1875 structure underwent a stunning renovation and was renamed the Village Meeting House in 2018.
Historic Specs
- Opened: 1875
- Original function: Federated Church
- Architect(s): Reverend James H. Babbitt
- Year added to NRHP: 1983
- NRHP number: 83003224
- Status: Open to the public as the Waitsfield United Church of Christ
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