First Baptist Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1869 at 253 Lawrence Street, this Gothic Revival church in Methuen continues to serve as a house of worship. It is a rectangular, clapboard-clad building with paired lancet windows topped by label or lancet moldings, and a bell tower with an open belfry. Its roofs are covered in slate. The belfry's spire was removed before 1903, but the main features of the design survive. The congregation was organized in 1815, when Baptists in Methuen, who had previously attended church in Haverhill, held their first services in the Daniel Frye house. The present building replaced an earlier church constructed in 1816. Its construction coincided with the growth of a notable residential and commercial center around Lawrence Street and Broadway. It is regarded as one of the best remaining examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the town, and it retains its location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. The architect is not known.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is among the best remaining examples of Gothic Revival architecture in Methuen and meets criterion C. It retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. Its construction also coincided with the growth of a residential and commercial center near Lawrence Street and Broadway.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84002365, listed January 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 253 Lawrence St., Methuen |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | January 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002365 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a church; original use was also a church. The spire on the belfry was removed before 1903. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.72809, -71.18441 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84002365.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452409
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.