Bell Street Chapel

Bell Street Chapel is an historic Unitarian Universalist chapel church located at 5 Bell Street in Providence, Rhode Island. This is just off Broadway in the part of the city referred to as "Federal Hill."[2] The church is a member congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).

Bell Street Chapel
Bell Street Chapel
LocationProvidence, Rhode Island
Coordinates41°49′7″N 71°26′12″W
Built1875
ArchitectWalker, William Russell
NRHP reference No.73000065[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 14, 1973

History

The chapel was built in 1875 by architect William Russell Walker at the behest of James Eddy. Eddy was a wealthy engraver and art dealer who advocated a theology that was unusual for its time. He had a private chapel built on the land adjacent to his property, hoping that he might be able to find some people who agreed with his theology.[2]

The chapel sat largely unused until Eddy's death in 1888. His will created an endowment aimed at keeping the chapel in use well into the future. That endowment is still active today. Anna Garlin Spencer, a Providence philanthropist and philosopher, was asked to spearhead the creation of a new congregation using the chapel. She remained there ten years and was ordained by the congregation as the first female minister of any denomination in the State of Rhode Island.[3]

At the present time, Rev. Paul Langston-Daley serves as minister. Services begin every Sunday morning at 10:00.[4]

Bell Street Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. Bell Street website Archived June 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Transcendentalists: Anna Garlin Spencer.
  4. Bell Street Governing Board
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