Knightsville Meetinghouse
Encyclopedia
The Knightsville Meetinghouse (also known as Knightsville-Franklin Congregational Church) is an historic church and meeting hall building at 67 Phenix Avenue within the village of Knightsville
in Cranston, Rhode Island
.
The meetinghouse was built in 1807 for the Benevolent Baptist Society. Town meetings were held in the building in the nineteenth century. Various Christian denominations also met in the building until 1864 when the Knightsville Mission Sabbath School, a large Sunday school
began meeting in the building and desired to begin a formal church. A church was officially organized in the building in 1878 as a branch of the Union Congregational Church of Providence. The Providence and Knightsville churches remained affiliated until 1928 when the Knightsville branch broke off after Union merged with Plymouth. In 1967 Knightsville merged with the smaller Franklin Congregational Church. The Kinghtsville Meeting House was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1978. The congregation was affiliated with the United Church of Christ
, but in 2006 the handful of remaining members voted to leave the United Church of Christ and join the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
. After several decades declining funding and dwindling membership, the church closed in October 2009.
Knightsville, Rhode Island
-History:Knightsville is named after local inn keeper and U.S. Congressman Nehemiah Knight . The Knights were descendants of early English emigrants who were some of the earliest settlers in the area. According to at least one source:...
in Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
.
The meetinghouse was built in 1807 for the Benevolent Baptist Society. Town meetings were held in the building in the nineteenth century. Various Christian denominations also met in the building until 1864 when the Knightsville Mission Sabbath School, a large Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
began meeting in the building and desired to begin a formal church. A church was officially organized in the building in 1878 as a branch of the Union Congregational Church of Providence. The Providence and Knightsville churches remained affiliated until 1928 when the Knightsville branch broke off after Union merged with Plymouth. In 1967 Knightsville merged with the smaller Franklin Congregational Church. The Kinghtsville Meeting House was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1978. The congregation was affiliated with the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
, but in 2006 the handful of remaining members voted to leave the United Church of Christ and join the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
National Association of Congregational Christian Churches
The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches is an association of about 400 churches providing fellowship for and services to churches from the Congregational tradition. The Association maintains its national office in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee...
. After several decades declining funding and dwindling membership, the church closed in October 2009.