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Pawtucket Congregational Church
Pawtucket Congregational Church
Built 1898
Building History
The Pawtucket Congregational Church is located in a part of Lowell that was annexed from neighboring Dracut in 1874. The congregation is the second oldest in Lowell, having separated from an earlier Dracut church in 1797. The first church building on this site was erected in 1797 with the location near the bridge across the Merrimack River considered advantageous.
The original 1897 church was extensively renovated in 1844 but by the 1890s, the building no longer met the needs of the congregation. After years of planning, the white frame building was demolished and the present church built in 1898.
Warren Floyd designed the current church in the Romanesque Revival style. He was also the architect of downtown Lowell’s Railroad National Bank Building (part of the Bon Marche Building) and numerous private residences. The brick building is characterized by an asymmetrical plan and massing. Notable features include a polygonal corner tower and Syrian arched door openings. The church contains a Paul Revere bell from 1812 that was salvaged from the Middlesex Village Church in 1859.
Preservation Efforts
The church has a long history of community involvement from the anti-slavery activity in the 1800s to the establishment of the first temperance league in Dracut in 1830. In order to continue its mission, the church has been undergoing several restoration and rehabilitation projects over the past several years, most notably their “Windows of Faith” project that has been undertaken to repair and restore the building’s stained glass windows. Current projects include restoration of the original slate roof and organ as well as plans for accessibility. Pawtucket Congregational Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.