Look for a striking red-brick building with tall, skinny arched windows and a square tower topped by a pyramidal roof, right across from the Mill River on the west side of Winthrop Street.
Standing here, you’re face to face with the majestic Winthrop Street Baptist Church. Behind those heavy wooden doors and Gothic windows, imagine it’s the year 1862-the Civil War is raging, but in Taunton, folks gather here hoping for comfort and a few hymns that are slightly less off-key than mine. This church wasn’t even the first Baptist congregation on this very spot-talk about a popular address for prayer! Crafted from solid brick, perfect for New England’s wild weather, it stands with stout buttresses along its sides, almost like it’s flexing its muscles for anyone in doubt. The brownstone arches above the windows and entry are trimmed just right, like the church dressed up in its Sunday best. Once, its tower soared even higher, with a steeple lost to demolition in the ‘90s. Today, the stained glass and belfry still look proudly over Winthrop Street, a reminder that architecture can outlast even the trickiest church meetings. Isn’t it amazing how one building can carry so much local life in its brickwork and glass?
