Friends Meetinghouse
Why it's listed
Built between 1770 and 1776 on land purchased from Moses Farnum, an elder and first minister of the Meeting, this brick Quaker meetinghouse sits on a wooded knoll above Quaker Highway in Uxbridge. The building is rectangular, three bays wide and two deep, with brick laid in common bond and a gently sloped gable roof. A two-story vestibule was added to the south front in the early nineteenth century, and a moveable interior partition let the first floor be split into two meeting spaces. Furnishings are plain, with facing banks of benches and a seldom-used second-floor gallery. Brick is unusual for an eighteenth-century New England meetinghouse, and its use is explained by the domestic character of Quaker buildings and by the brick houses then standing in Uxbridge. The Quaker faith reached the town from Smithfield, Rhode Island, and members of the Meeting founded the woolen mills that shaped local growth. Restoration took place in 1954 and 1955, and a reconstructed horse shed and ox brake stand nearby.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is architecturally significant as an unusual brick meetinghouse in eighteenth-century New England and a good example of the Quaker meetinghouse type. Its moveable partition and separate entrances reflect the nineteenth-century custom of separating women and men at certain times. It is also locally significant for its role in the town's development, since the woolen mills Uxbridge is known for were founded by members of the Meeting.
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 74000395, listed January 24, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S of Uxbridge on MA 146, Uxbridge |
|---|---|
| County | Worcester County |
| Listed | January 24, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000395 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1770-1776 |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is given as excellent and altered, on its original site. It was restored in 1954-1955, and the form lists it as occupied, with religious and museum uses. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 42.03926, -71.62062 (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 74000395.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5504192
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.