Upperville Meeting House Explained

Upperville Meeting House
Location:NY 80, Upperville, New York
Coordinates:42.7001°N -75.6161°W
Built:1896
Architecture:Late Victorian
Added:April 1, 2002
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:02000307

Upperville Meeting House is a historic Friends meeting house on New York State Route 80 in Upperville, Chenango County, New York. It was built in 1896 and is a one-story rectangular wood-frame building on a dressed stone foundation. It is built into a hillside.[1]

Herbert Dixon, a congregational layman, had held Sabbath School for around 40 years in the school house at Upperville, and by his untiring efforts succeeded in raising funds toward building a chapel in Upperville. At last he bought the property and deeded it to the Friends on the condition that they hold services there for ten years. Walter Whitney of the Methodist Church in Smyrna conducted services there from 1935 to 1937. Eventually the congregation became so small that services were no longer held. In 1965 the Society voted to sell the building and it was bought by Mrs. John A. Leavitt of Glastonbury, Connecticut, whose daughter, Mrs. Robert Anderson, was a resident of Smyrna.

The meeting house became unused and passed through several private hands. It was purchased by Terrance Lindall in the mid-1980s and became the Greenwood Museum. Lindall purchased the rectory next to it and the house opposite intending to create a cultural and recreational facility. Exhibits included objects from a Gothic chapel, quilts of Margit Echols, and French Empire furnishing. Events included wreath making and chess tournaments. He released the property to the Quakers in Hamilton, New York so it could once more be used for its intended purpose.[2]

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Register of Historic Places Registration: Upperville Meeting House. October 2001. 2010-02-20 . Kathleen LaFrank. New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. See also: Web site: Accompanying seven photos.
  2. Web site: The Upperville Meeting House. home.roadrunner.com. 2019-03-19.