Look to your left for a striking building of rough fieldstone with a tall square tower, arched doorways, and elegant, narrow windows rising above Broadway-trust me, it’s impossible to miss!
Now, let’s time travel a bit! Standing here, imagine it’s 1852, and you see stonemasons hauling rocks and dust swirling around as architect Richard Upjohn’s latest masterpiece slowly rises above the street. Back then, the congregation had just split from the First Parish Church, and it was a time of both excitement and, well, a *little* drama-no reality TV, so church splits were big news! Upjohn, who knew how to build churches with personality, gave the Pilgrim Congregational massive stone walls, a strong gabled roof, and that signature square tower right in front, splitting the facade into three impressive sections. Step closer and picture the echo of footsteps through the round-arched doorway, and sunlight filtering through tall, narrow Gothic windows, with splashes of color from stained glass lining the sides. The small chapel tucked behind came in 1915-call it an “expansion pack.” Today, this is the second-oldest church building in the heart of Taunton, a place built from both faith and stone, making it a true survivor-listed on the National Register, but still welcoming folks who happen by. Now tell me, can you imagine some century-old secrets hidden in those stones?
