Unitarian Meeting House History(4)

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membership concerning whether a new building should be constructed downtown or in an outlying area. The former view finally prevailed and the 215 Pearl Street site was purchased in 1921. A new church, designed by Hartford architect Milton E. Hayman, ^[1] was built in 1924 at a cost of $125,000, and dedicated on Nov. 30. Historian Nelson Burr described the Pearl Street Meeting House as follows:

It is a long, narrow building in Classical style, the lower story of the façade of white stone, the rest of red brick. The front entrance, in Classical style, is surmounted by a pediment bearing the inscription: FIRST UNITARIAN CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY OF HARTFORD. Above is a large Palladian window. The vestibule, flanked by small office rooms, leads to an octagonal hall with stairs to the second floor. The auditorium, without windows or skylight, is illuminated by five lanterns suspended from the middle of the ceiling, and by indirect lighting in the chancel. The style is strictly Classical, white with mahogany trim. There is a font, also a reading desk and a pulpit, but no Communion table, as the Communion is not observed. The organ is located behind the chancel, and there are facilities for broadcasting the services. ^[2]

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With a membership approaching four hundred and a sanctuary that could seat only about 250, it was evident by 1956 that the Pearl Street Meeting House was in danger of bursting at the seams. Basing its projections on statistical trends, a Church Planning Committee recommended that the Society construct a new church building within the next five years. ^[3]

First Unitarian Congregational Society,
215 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT (1924-1963).

Unable to locate a suitable site in downtown Hartford and unwilling to see the church split in two, the Committee voted in November 1958 to move to the city's outskirts. But four years were to pass before the Society acted on that recommendation. ==>

Footnotes

[1]. Hartford Architecture, Volume One, 125.

[2]. Burr, "Inventory of Unitarian Church Records in Connecticut," x.

[3]. "1956 Report to the Church Council," 17-18.

Let us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (prepared 6/25/02)