First Baptist Church, 1872

The stately First Baptist Church was destroyed by a seven-alarm fire on October 23, 2018. The church is described in the 250th anniversary publication of 1894, after addressing a fire that destroyed its second house of worship in 1871, as follows: "The people had already felt the need of more ample accommodations, and, with strong hope and courage, secured a lot of land on the corner of Main and Lafayette Streets, where the foundations of worship were laid. This structure, which is no exception to the unwritten law that calls for attractive public buildings in the town, was dedicated (on) Dec. 11, 1872. Built of wood, it belongs to the Romanesque order, with minaret and lofty spire, one hundred and eighty feet from the base. the spacious auditorium was designed for one thousand people".

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2019

Photo courtesy of Wakefield Un-Common Antiques and Collectibles

1872

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Wakefield, Mass. : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department