SITE 6 (OF 7):

Old Baptist Meeting House (3 Hillside St.)

Photo Source: Wikipedia (June 2022)

Old Baptist Meetinghouse: Built in 1796, the Meetinghouse housed the newly-formed Baptist Religious Society. It was likely built by local men who lived in the immediate area at a cost of about $6,790. In the 1820s and ’30s, the building underwent significant alterations that brought its appearance closer to what we see today. A larger porch was built along with a new tower, belfry, conical spire, and larger windows (some with the pointed Gothic arches visible on the front façade). In 1889, the building ceased to be used as a church, as the Baptists had built their present church on Main Street. Local philanthropists George and Ellen Hammond purchased the building in 1890 and renovated it for use as the town’s library and antiquarian society. It continued in this use, as “Memorial Hall,” until about 1910, after which it was used for town meetings. The Meetinghouse was placed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and is currently owned by the Town of Yarmouth with operations overseen by Yarmouth Historical Society.

Fun fact: During World War II, local volunteers used the Meetinghouse belfry as a lookout for enemy aircraft.

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