Scituate Congregational Church

Clark Sayles built the Congregational Church on Greenville Road. He dedicated it on July 4, 1831. It was built because a group of residents called the Smithville Society needed a church.

Clark Sayles designed the Congregational Church. It was built for $2,350 on a $75 piece of land. A three-stage steeple is on top of the Congregational Church and makes it a landmark from faraway places and all around the town. Inside the church pews were built to face the entrance doors. Some people think it was to protect the church from Indian attack, but it was really built that way to make sure people were on time for church.

At the time the Congregational Church was built, it was used by two church groups, the Congregational church group and the Baptist church group. The Baptists used this church biweekly for services while their church was built across the street and down the road. The church thrived in the 1800’s.

In 1898, people decided the church should no longer be used for regular services. In 1940, the First Congregational Church gave the building to the Town of Scituate for “religious and historical purposes”.

The Scituate Congregational Church is still used today, but it is no longer a church. The Congregational Church is now used as a town community building. It can be rented by anyone that lives in Scituate for special occasions. The Scituate Art Festival is held around the church and the building is open to the public that weekend. Since 1968 Art Festival money raised has been used to help keep the church in good shape.

A play was held in the historic church. Here is a group photograph.

This article and photograph were found in the Archive Room of the

North Scituate Public Library as was the page below from the binder on town churches.

These photos show how the Scituate Congregational Church looks today.

These photos of the inside of the church were taken from the right entrance.

Notice how the pews face the altar and the front doors.

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©2017 Paula DiLuglio