Title

All Soul's Church Sanctuary, Looking Back, Mid-20th Century

Preview

Description

Included in the six buildings that are part of the Westbrook College Historic District, the Gothic church was constructed in 1867 for $14,000. Francis Fassett, who also designed McArthur Gymnasium, built the church for the First Universalist Society of Westbrook. The church contained 80 chestnut pews trimmed with black walnut. The ceiling was blue and was studded with gold stars. A local 1867 newspaper referred to the interior as "very pleasing, rich but not too gorgeous."

When Westbrook Seminary deeded the land to the Universalists in the 1860s, the Trustees stated that if the church abandoned the property, the property would revert to the seminary. In 1970, when the Universalists built a new church, Westbrook College acquired the Gothic structure. From 1970 to 1986, the campus library was located in the building. [see Library-in-a-Church] In October 1986, the Eleanor DeWolf Ludcke (class of 1926) Auditorium was dedicated. [see Ludcke Auditorium]

Media

Black and white photograph

Creator

Date

Mid-20th Century

Location of Original

Westbrook College History Collection

Size of Original

10 inches x 8 1/16 inches

Preferred Citation

"All Soul's Church Sanctuary, Looking Back, Mid-20th Century" (Mid-20th Century). University of New England, Westbrook College History Collection. https://dune.une.edu/wchc_photos_allsouls/11