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Churches |
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The Baptist Church At The Plains The church, formerly known as the Litchfield Plains Freewill Baptist Church, was established October 11, 1826. Rev. Josiah Farewell and Rev. Samuel Hathorn, delegated by the Bowdoin Quarterly Conference to organize the church, began holding meetings with 13 members. Church members' barns were used as meeting places until the original portion of the present church was built in 1837. The church is located amidst a stand of pines on the Plains Road, across from the Plains Cemetery on land that probably belonged to one of its members, Cornelius Toothaker. The years have brought changes and additions to the meeting house, most often accomplished by the craftsmanship and labor of its members. In 1897 a horse shed was erected on the grounds and used until 1932 when it was sold to the Farmers' Club. In 1925 a committee was "empowered to cut lumber desirable from the pine grove without endangering its natural beauty" for adding a vestry at the back of the church. The next year the vestry was dedicated during the celebration of the church's 100th anniversary. source: Litchfield Yesterdays
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The Litchfield Community Christian Church Today
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 The Litchfield Community Christian Church as it was about 1890 as The North Baptist Church |
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The North Baptist Church, organized as the second Baptist Church in town in 1798, erected this building in 1810. A belfry was added in time for the town's centennial in 1895. Gone now are the high pulpit, the side balconies and the pew doors of the original, but the old bell is still rung every Sunday morning at service time. Today the church is known as the Community Christian Church. source: Litchfield Yesterdays
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Congregational Church, Litchfield Corners, about 1890
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The first Congregational Church was organized in 1811. In 1824 its small building was replaced by a larger one on the later Litchfield Academy site. By 1845 this second building was moved across the road. At that time it was remodeled and made into two stories so that the upper could be used as an Academy classroom. This building in turn was replaced in 1863 by a larger edifice. The new building made fine inside by carpeted aisles and upholstered pews, was paid for ($1000) by the day it was dedicated. source: Litchfield Yesterdays
History of the Congregational Church - 1911
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| Saint Leo's, a mission of Saint Ambrose Church, Richmond, built on the former Hilton property near Tacoma Lake on Route 126, was dedicated in August 1966. The chapel, originally intended to provide a place for Mass for summer visitors, now has Masses the year 'round and a school of religion except during summer months. The chapel, which seats 400 persons, was built with gifts from summer residents, many from outside the state, a $1000 gift from Mrs. Alcide P. Morin of Lewiston, an unspecified amount from the Portland Diocese, and a loan from the Very Reverend John J. Curran's greater Augusta parish. The edifice is named for Pope Leo, 400-461, the Pope who went out to meet Attila the Hun, called "the scourge of God". source: Litchfield Yesterdays
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 Saint Leo's Chapel, 1966 |
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Miss Carrie Kendall's Revival Meetings
In 1894 people came from miles around to hear the lady preacher, Miss Carrie Kendall of Bowdoinham. For months she held services in a tent located just opposite the Buker schoolhouse upon the land of Arron Peacock. In 1895 more than 2000 persons gathered by the shores of Pleasant Pond to witness the baptism of 44 converts, "the result of the labors of Miss Kendall and Mrs. Lawrence of Bowdoinham." (In the picture Miss Kendall is seated at the far left in the buggy.) When the wind blew the tent down one fall afternoon, the people met in the schoolhouse and agreed to build a chapel. Miss Inez Gowell of South Gardiner, born in Litchfield, was there and she remembers it well. "The people all turned out and worked together from the foundation up... they paid as they went; they didn't owe a penny," Miss Gowell said. Charles Hodgkins gave the land, Frank Wyman went ahead with construction, and members gave material and labor. The building was dedicated in 1898. Miss Kendall died in 1944 and the congregation dwindled. The main part of the building had not been used regularly for ten to twenty years until an attempt to reopen it was made in 1974. source: Litchfield Yesterdays |
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