Beneficent Congregational Church

Beneficent Congregational Church
Location Providence, Rhode Island
Coordinates 41°49′11″N 71°24′51″W / 41.81972°N 71.41417°W / 41.81972; -71.41417Coordinates: 41°49′11″N 71°24′51″W / 41.81972°N 71.41417°W / 41.81972; -71.41417
Built 1809
Architect Barnard Eddy; John Newman; Tallman & Bucklin
Architectural style Greek Revival
Part of Downtown Providence Historic District (#84001967)
NRHP reference # 72000035[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP January 13, 1972
Designated CP February 10, 1984

The Beneficent Congregational Church is a United Church of Christ congregation of Congregationalist heritage at 300 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. The congregation was founded in 1743 during the "First Great Awakening".


Architectural style

The current church building is a brick Greek Revival structure which features a prominent dome. The structure was built in 1810 and substantially altered in 1836 to a design by Tallman & Bucklin, giving it its present form.[2] This work was funded with a $30,000 donation from textile entrepreneur Henry J. Steere in honor of his father, Jonah Steere. Beneficent has active ministries working with the homeless in the city and around the world.

Beneficent Congregational Church is open for Sunday services and the building is located at 300 Weybosset Street in Providence.

The church bears a striking similarity in style to the Massachusetts State House in Boston, designed by Charles Bulfinch. Prior to about 2007, the church's dome was covered on gold leaf which gave it a distinctive appearance. Due to weather damage to the gold leaf, the congregation voted in 1987 to replace the roof with more durable copper sheeting as part of a larger renovation project. This copper sheeting gives the dome its current green patina.[3]

Senior Pastors of Beneficent Congregational Church

  • Joseph Snow, Jr. (served 1743–1793)
  • James "Paddy" Wilson, M.A. (served 1793–1839)
  • Mark Tucker, D.D. (served 1839–1845)
  • John Payne Cleveland, D.D. (served 1846–1853)
  • Alexander Huntington Clapp, D.D. (served 1855–1865)
  • James Gardiner Vose, D.D. (served 1866–1901)
  • Asbury E. Krom (served 1901–1932)
  • Arthur Edward Wilson, D.D., L.H.D. (served 1933–1967)
  • Edward King Hempel, Jr. (served 1968–1970)
  • August Ralph Barlow, Jr. (served 1970–1997)
  • Richard Henry Taylor (served 1999–2006)
  • Nicole Grant Yonkman and Todd Grant Yonkman (served 2009–2016)

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2007-01-23). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ "NRHP nomination for Beneficent Congregational Church" (PDF). Rhode Island Preservation. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  3. ↑ http://www.beneficentchurch.org/our-historic-building.html
  • Official website
  • History of Rhode Island
  • Bicknell, Thomas Williams (1860). The History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Volume 2. New York: D. Appleton & Co.; reprint, American Historical Society, 1920. p. 603. LCCN 02018842.
  • Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. RI-210, "Beneficent Congregational Church, 300 Weybosset Street, Providence, Providence County, RI", 4 photos, 20 data pages


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