New England Churches & Meetinghouses, 1680-1830

The early Puritan houses of worship in New England served also as meetinghouses, explains Mallary (Houses of New England); the transition from meetinghouse to exclusive religious use would not happen until the late 1780s. As the community centers of newly founded towns, these buildings performed an important function. The structures pictured here show simple but elegant design, with detail shots of changes and renovations that have been made over the years. The exploration spans Quaker and Shaker meetinghouses, a Baptist church and the Touro Synagogue in Newport, R.I. (the only Colonial synagogue still standing), built between 1681 (Old Ship Meetinghouse in Hingham, Mass.) and 1827 (First Parish Church in Quincy, Mass., where Presidents John and John Quincy Adams and their wives are buried). Imrie's black-and-white and color photos accompany the text, providing a pictorial overview of New England's religious heritage. November