Sign in or 
| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 31 2012, 11:34 AM EST | WareHistorical | 2 words added, 3 words deleted, 3 photos added, 2 photos deleted |
| Oct 1 2009, 5:21 PM EDT | WareHistorical | 11 words added |
Changes
Key: Additions Deletions
See also, http://www.colonialmeetinghouses.com/mh_ware_center.shtmlhttp://www.waremeetinghouse.wetpaint.com
Colonial Meetinghouses of New England
Ware Center Meeting House
The Little White Church at the Crossroads of Ware
By Carla Wessels, Ware Historical Commission
The First Congregational Church, also known as the Ware Center Church and Meeting House, is the oldest church in Ware. It originally served as both a church and a seat of town government for Ware Parish. Behind the church is a burial ground reserved for ministers and deacons and their families. Ware Center was the center of the town, the town green and a meeting place where one could find a tavern, the blacksmith, the animal pound.
In 1716, John Read bought over 11,000 acres of land and named it The Manour of Peace. The land was laid out to become a Christian Parish with a Church of Christ and a minister of the Gospel.
In 1741, Read found 33 males living in The Manour of Peace or the surrounding area and secured their signatures on a petition asking for a “precinct” or a “parish.”
On December 2, 1742 an act established Ware River Precinct. Several months later, a warrant was signed for the residents to assemble their first meeting and organize a parish government. The very first Board of Selectmen included Edward Ayers, Jacob Cummings and Joseph Simond. Annual meetings were held to raise money to hire a minister to preach. Without a central location to meet, the preaching took place in local homes.
The First Congregational Church was chartered in 1743. It served as a witness to the piety and struggles of the early settlers and to the devotion of its descendents. Members of this community were accustomed to hardship and able to cope with difficulties. They were devoted to the gospel of Christ and impressed their faith onto their children.
In 1749, it was voted to build a Meeting House and that was completed a year later near the site of the present Meeting House in Ware Center. The building was 35’x25’ and the congregation consisted of approximately 30 members. Reverend Grindall Rawson served as the first pastor. The Town of Ware would not be established until 11 years later.
In 1798-99, a new building was built in the style of the Colonial Meeting Houses of the period. By 1843, improvements and remodeling took place. The front door faced Enfield Road instead of Greenwich Plains Road. The galleries were removed, a floor was installed and the upstairs was used for religious services. Pews were sold to the families of the parish, making sure to always reserve Pews 1 & 2 for the Minister & Deacon’s families. The lower part would be used for Town Meetings.
To this day official town notices must be posted at both the Town Hall and the Ware Center Meeting House.
Within the last few decades, a fire caused significant damage to the Ware Center Meeting House. Current restoration efforts are progressing slowly, dependent upon the help of grants and private funds.
