Spurwink Congregational Church is a historic
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* Ch ...
at 533 Spurwink Avenue in
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Cape Elizabeth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The town is part of the Portland– South Portland–Biddeford, Maine, metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, Cape Elizabeth had a population of 9,535.
...
. Built in 1802 and significantly renovated in 1830, it is the town's oldest public building. Home to an active congregation until 1957, it is now owned by the town, serving as a community function space. It was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...
in 1970.
Description and history
The Spurwink Church is set on a rise above the
Spurwink River
The Spurwink River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed June 30, 2011 primarily tidal river in Cumberland County, Maine. It rises in the town of Cape Elizabeth and flows we ...
in western Cape Elizabeth, at the junction of Spurwink Avenue and Bowery Beach Road (
Maine State Route 77
State Route 77 (abbreviated SR 77) is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways, located in eastern Cumberland County. It runs for from SR 207 in Scarborough to the intersection of Park Avenue and State Street in Portland (a terminu ...
). It is a basically rectangular wood-frame building, with a gabled roof, clapboard siding, and a granite foundation. A gabled entry vestibule projects from the front, with a square two-stage tower rising above the line between it and the main block. The tower has a plain first stage, and then a belfry with round-arch louvered openings, and a dome-shaped spire and weathervane at the top. The vestibule section is very plain, with a fully pedimented gable, and a pair of entrances, each flanked by pilasters and topped by an entablature and cornice. Windows appear on the sides and rear of the building, most with a Gothic arched fan as a decorative element above. The interior retains significant original finishes, including
box pew
A box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th centuries.
History in England
Before the rise of Protestantism, seating was not customary in c ...
s and a kerosene-powered chandelier.
The original congregation was formed as a branch of the second parish of
South Portland
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state, incorporated in 1898. At the 2020 census, the city population was 26,498. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is si ...
. However, South Portland was part of Cape Elizabeth until 1895. The church was built in 1802, and underwent a significant renovation in 1830. The church became independent in 1905, and had an active (but declining) population until 1957, when the building was turned over to the town.
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See also
*
References
External links
Spurwink Church web site
{{National Register of Historic Places
Churches in Cumberland County, Maine
Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Maine
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Congregational churches in Maine
Churches completed in 1802
National Register of Historic Places in Cumberland County, Maine