Lower Waterford's Church: New Ways to Center the Community

The April 26, 2018, front page of the Caledonian-Record featured ongoing efforts by the Lower Waterford Congregational Church to maintain its historic structure and adapt to new ways of being the center of this Vermont Connecticut River community.

Of course, the church as a structure is the unmistakable focus of Lower Waterford. But it has changed in use since the mid 1800s, when attending church was a "must" for good citizens. This image from 1909 shows the structure when its wooden porch eased the way long-skirted ladies could step down from carriages.


In the second half of the 20th century, although the church congregation slowly reduced in size, keeping up the building continued, as shown here.

Now the church hosts summer and autumn worship services in collaboration with the Third Congregational Church in East St. Johnsbury, and collaborates with the town office, the neighboring Davies Memorial Library, and the Waterford Historical Society to provide meeting space for community events.

A search for grant support to encourage an ongoing role for the structure and its community spirit continues. Watch for updates on this year's campaign to support the village church as an essential component of 21st-century Lower Waterford, and beyond.