{"nrhp_refnum":"90000075","name":"Church of Christ, Swansea","other_names":["First Christian Congregational Church"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"G. A. R. Hwy./US 6 at Maple Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Swansea","county":"Bristol County","state":"MA","lat":41.75100589300007,"lon":-71.22477375699998,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1990-02-16","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Religion"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A Greek Revival church building on G.A.R. Highway (U.S. Route 6) in Swansea, Massachusetts, dedicated in 1833; architect unknown. It is also known as the First Christian Congregational Church.","why_significant":"The nomination cites Criterion A for its association with a non-sectarian Christian church organized in Swansea in the late 17th century, which was never tied legally to the town or supported by taxation. It cites Criterion C as an important local example of Greek Revival architecture. It also meets Criterion Consideration A for religious properties.","narrative":"This 1½-story clapboard church on G.A.R. Highway (U.S. Route 6) in Swansea was dedicated in 1833 and is the second meetinghouse on its site. Its gable-front facade has a pediment, six paneled pilasters, a round-arched double-door entrance, and ogee-arched windows. A square two-stage tower carries an octagonal cupola. The interior was remodeled and the building enlarged in 1873, and a one-story education wing was added on the east side in 1966. An 1868 organ by E. & G. Hook was restored in 1963. The congregation was formally organized in 1693, with services reported as early as 1680. It was independent of the town, never supported by taxation, and open to Christians regardless of doctrine. For generations its pastors came from the Mason family. The building is recognized locally for this religious history and as a Greek Revival design. It stands in a heavily developed commercial area and remains in religious use.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Greek Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Condition described as good; still used for religious services.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:03.512739-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/35/7896/63789635/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/90000075.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/90000075/57133fc807-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/90000075/57133fc807-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swansea_Church_of_Christ.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swansea_Church_of_Christ.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63789635","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Christ,_Swansea","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5116833"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/bristol-county/church-of-christ-swansea-90000075/"}