First Religious Society Church and Parish Hall

The First Religious Society Church and Parish Hall is a historic church building at 26 Pleasant Street in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Originally a Reformed congregation, the congregation is currently affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist denomination. The current Minister is Reverend Rebecca M. Bryan. The church's steeple is currently the tallest point in downtown Newburyport, Massachusetts.

First Religious Society Church and Parish Hall
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
First Religious Society
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Location	Newburyport, Massachusetts
Coordinates	42°48′39″N 70°52′18″W
Built	1801
Architect	Attributed to Samuel McIntire or Timothy Palmer
Architectural style	Federal
Part of	Newburyport Historic District (ID84002411)
NRHP reference No.	76000278[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	April 2, 1976
Designated CP	August 2, 1984

The church building was constructed in 1801 by the First Religious Society, which was founded in 1725. The designer is unknown, but the names of Samuel McIntire of Salem and Timothy Palmer of Newburyport have been suggested. Like so many churches in the United States, the design of the church was based on the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London.^[2]

A stylistically complementary parish hall was added to the east side of the church in 1873.^[2] The space is utilized as a center for social and educational activities.^[3]

Barbara Owen served the congregation as organist from 1963 until 2002.^[4]

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976,^[1] and included in the Newburyport Historic District in 1984.^[2]

See also

• First Presbyterian Church (Newburyport, Massachusetts), also known as Old South, located at 29 Federal Street in Newburyport, a church that is similar in appearance (historic, white, tall)
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Massachusetts