A Brief History: Elm Street Congregational Church

This shows an etching of the old Elm Street congregational Church, from many years ago. All of the historical material is on public display in Brown Hall.

A land grant establishing the town of Bucks Town (later to become Bucksport) mandated the community provide for a church. In 1793,

the Town voted to raise eighteen pounds to support the gospel, and pastors from the Massachusetts Missionary Society preached on an irregular basis. In 1803, Reverend Mighill Blood was called to serve as the first minister at an annual salary of $300 and served the Congregational Church from 1803 to 1840. He first preached in private homes, and in 1814 the first meeting place was built on Oak Hill in Bucksport. In 1818, the Sunday school was formed because the parents felt their children needed moral and religious education.

In 1838, the present house of worship was built on Elm Street as it was felt this was a better location. The committee paid eight dollars per rod for the seventy rods on the corner lot, and the selling of shares helped finance the building. In 1863, alterations were made to the sanctuary to accommodate the Hooke organ. The original bell cracked during the celebration marking the end of the Civil War, and a new bell was placed in the belfry in 1867. The present vestry was built in 1876.

Our bicentennial quilt, which commemorates many important events in the life of the church

The corporate seal was designed November 23, 1915 and included two concentric circles with the motto “Send Out the Light” and a lighthouse spreading rays. The church constitution was adopted February 28, 1916, and its articles of incorporation were received May 19, 1916.

Many clubs and organizations were formed to better the church and the community. Celebrations were held to honor the 100th, 125th, 150th, 175th, and 200th anniversaries of the church. The 200th celebration was lasted for a year and included the start of our Memorial Garden. Other recent memorable events included the remodeling of the church basement in 1960, and the sanctuary renovation in 1962. An addition to the vestry was built in 1977-78, and the church was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The steeple was replaced in 1993, and a third bell was installed in 1994 due to an irreparable crack in the previous one.

By Joyce Sanborn, Historian