Our History
The life of The Saugatuck Congregational Church, which covers a span of 178 years, reveals a story of a community of faith which seeks to give God glory. It is an enduring record of dedicated individuals.
It began in 1830 when our village, named Saugatuck (meaning "mouth of the tidal river") was but a part of Fairfield, Norwalk, and Weston — the towns from which Westport would be carved in 1835. Saugatuck was a busy, flourishing community; a shipping port for the produce from surrounding farms, which was carried by onion boats to Boston and New York. It was a stagecoach stop on the important Post Road. Among the prominent families at the time was that of Ebenezer Jesup. He was a dealer in wholesale grain and produce, shipping mostly to Boston, and soon became the wealthiest resident of the village.
Although an inhabitant of Greens Farms, Jesup's wharf and warehouses were along the river, and it is not surprising that in 1810 he decided to build a residence more convenient to his place of business. The handsome dwelling was considered the finest mansion in Fairfield County, and that location eventually became the center of town.
As the community grew, there arose an interest in organizing a local church and ecclesiastical society.
Their meetinghouse in Greens Farms was but three miles away, but travel was difficult and attendance at divine worship in those days was required.
This was no small decision for these men and their families. In addition to a commitment for supporting the new building, there was the decision to leave their current society. The church played an important role in the social life of the families involved, and one can well imagine the difficulties caused by such an upheaval, despite the fact that they were moving only a short distance.
The decision to establish a new center of worship came in 1830 when the Saugatuck Meetinghouse Association appointed a committee consisting of the Honorable Samuel B. Sherwood, Ebenezer Jesup, Dan Taylor, Thomas F. Rowland, Samuel Avery and Sullivan Moulton to attend to building a meetinghouse on land which belonged to Ebenezer Jesup.
In conformity with honored custom, they chose a lofty and commanding site on the south side of the Post Road, about 600 feet east of the present church.
Saugatuck Congregational Church Circa 1940 (photo by Samuel V. Chamberlain)
It appears that the new Saugatuck Meetinghouse was to be at least as spacious and attractive as the one they were leaving in Greens Farms. Uriah Ambler was contractor for the building. The specifications were most carefully and minutely drawn by Samuel Sherwood, a lawyer of repute. No details were overlooked. We see evidence throughout the contract of the clear, shrewd business mind of Squire Sherwood and the great care that everything entering into the new structure should be of the best material and finished after the most approving style.
Formally trained architects were still rare in the States and virtually unknown in rural areas. Builders of early 19th century churches would, in all likelihood, have been exposed to pattern books and would borrow extensively from similar churches in a nearby town. It is likely that Jesup and other prosperous merchants in the area were familiar with architectural developments in England at the time. Puritanism was being diluted by growing prosperity and a more comfortable lifestyle.
It was no longer necessary to have a totally functional and austere design; ornamentation and beauty were desirable and becoming very much in evidence.
It would be fascinating to know how Uriah Ambler became associated with the Saugatuck Meetinghouse project. All that is known for sure is that his contract of $2,500 was paid in July 1832, along with $65.25 allowed for "extra bills" and $63.51 paid to Thomas Rowland for underpinning stone. Previous financial records from March through September for "one quart of rum $.22, one quarter of brandy $.13, three barrels of beer $9.30, and another quart of rum per verbal order from Captain Avery," indicated the workers received good care.
Whatever the credentials and experiences of these men, their efforts for the Ecclesiastical Society were well received and have stood to their credit until the present day.
Building funds were partly obtained by subscription. The list of donor names, followed by the amounts contributed, is preserved. The balance was received by settlement with the Greens Farms Society.
New Meetinghouse
Finally, the new meetinghouse was completed and dedicated and The Saugatuck Congregational Church was organized on June 5, 1832.
The original members numbered 36 and were, at their own request, dismissed by letter from the Greens Farms Congregational Church.
The Society, instituted for the support of the new church, pledged maintenance of public worship, agreeable to the form and all principles of the Presbyterian or Congregational Churches of the United States. Among other items of business at this first meeting of the Society, it was voted "that the place for setting up notices for future meetings of the Society be on the oak near the northwest corner of the new meetinghouse." Then in February of 1833, The Rev. Charles A. Boardman became its first pastor, after having rendered his valuable assistance in perfecting the organization of the church.
The young church was plagued from time to time by lack of funds. Money was raised by auctioning the "slips" (pews) for six months rental. Rentals falling in arrears required a vote, "that the slips in the meetinghouse hereafter be rented for cash, to be paid down before the meeting dissolved." The pews are original, although once they were equipped with doors.
First Sabbath School
The first Sabbath School was organized in the summer of 1832. Classes met in the balcony and sanctuary, and a drum and fiddle assembled the children. In 1866, a social hall and church school extension was built at the rear of the sanctuary. With great effort, funds were raised for this project by ladies' fairs, festivals, lectures and a concert of eminent artists. This facility served the congregation until the meetinghouse was moved in 1950, when it was sold to the Westport Women's Club to become their auditorium.
Expansion and Renovation
A sense of stewardship and sharing has undergirded the missionary program from an early date. In 1852, a meeting was held to designate a certain Sabbath every fourth month for the collection of money to be sent to domestic and foreign missions.
As the church grew, it was deemed necessary "to enlarge this meetinghouse by carrying the pulpit back 13 feet." Architectural evidence shows this addition in 1857 was the full width of the building.
Until 1892, the music was provided by a bass violin and later a hand-pumped organ. In 1892, a pipe organ operated by water was installed. This organ was later adapted to electric power and served until 1960 when the present fine pipe organ was provided by Gertrude Hotchkiss Heyn in memory of her mother. When the organ was installed, the choir loft and arch were somewhat redesigned.
In 1924, the interior of the meetinghouse was thoroughly renovated by redecorating and exterior painting. At that time the carpets were removed and replaced with alley runners, certain ornamental plastering was removed and the seats, formerly stained, were painted white. In all other respects, the beautiful meetinghouse remains as it was 178 years ago.
The restoration committee tried to replicate the interior of the sanctuary as it might have appeared in its earlier period. The red/green ingrained carpeting, the red damask seat cushions and the red pulpit curtain were quite common according to historical research. "The decorative embellishments of the early and middle years of the 19th century were often swept away, together with the earlier decorative treatments" in favor of what was believed to be a sparse "early look," which appears to be the case here.
New Land – New Parsonage
Saugatuck Congregational Church Circa 1960
In 1884, Morris K. Jesup gave to the church the house and land, about eight acres, which had been the handsome dwelling of his grandfather, Ebenezer Jesup. The gift was by conditional deed which provided that "the property was to be used as the parsonage and as a future site for the meetinghouse, should it be moved there or a new one built. The land could never be sold or used as security for a loan." It did become the parsonage, which is known as "Jesup House."
The exact date of the building has not been recorded, but it is believed the house was constructed between 1807 and 1810. Once considered the finest house in Fairfield County, it too has been restored. It is a fine example of the post-Revolutionary Period and is often sketched, studied and written about by architectural scholars.
For one hundred years, the church followed the fortunes of the community with a slow and steady growth in membership, practically parallel to the growth of the population. When Westport began its rapid expansion in the 1940s, the church's increased membership necessitated further expansion of its facilities.
Church Building Moved
A special meeting of the congregation on September 11, 1947, authorized the relocation of the meetinghouse to the parsonage property. Perhaps the original idea for relocation came from Mr. Jesup's letter transmitting the parsonage property to the church, suggesting and anticipating such a move by 60 years or more.
Plans culminated in the early dawn of August 28, 1950. The Post Road had been blocked, all traffic rerouted, when 500 men, women and children gathered before the shored-up structure for a service of prayer and thanksgiving. They sang two verses of "Faith of Our Fathers" accompanied by a portable organ, and witnessed an official tape-cutting ceremony. Then at the speed of 60 feet per hour, the 200-ton building was moved down a 19-foot incline on 55 logs, which revolved under runners, across the Post Road, to stand adjacent to the parsonage.
New Addition
By 1954, all debts were paid and again an ambitious building program was initiated to meet the needs for church school classrooms, special rooms for church functions, as well as office space to accommodate the ministers and the staff. The entire project was completed in October 1956 and immediately work began to establish a memorial garden.
Major Restoration: 1990–1993
At this time, no major restoration work had been done on the meetinghouse and the Jesup House for many years. So once again, in April 1990, a three-year program was presented and approved by the congregation. Members and friends of the church responded enthusiastically and just over $1 million was committed to the project.
Work began in February 1991 with the removal, repair and replacement of the steeple. Then the meetinghouse church school addition and the Jesup House were completely restored. This included new roofing; new siding; several coats of paint, both interior and exterior; plastering, refurbishing of wood paneling; extensive electrical wiring; correction of drainage problems; and new carpeting and air conditioning of the Meetinghouse, Fellowship Room and Daniels Room. Hoskins Hall was given a complete facelift, and needed storage space was constructed.
The final touch was the installation of an elevator to provide handicapped individuals easy access from ground level to the sanctuary, meeting rooms and Hoskins Hall.
The entire project was completed by November 1993, and a week-long celebration was held.
The church's restored facilities provide a lovely reminder of the beauty that our colonial ancestors believed their community should have. The formal garden is patiently cared for by members of the congregation.
Saugatuck Church Today
Saugatuck Congregational Church Today
For generations, on both sides of the Post Road, The Saugatuck Congregational Church has provided not only a place of meeting for the Christian worship of God and for instructions in faith, but also for an exchange of ideas and the challenges of society.
Originally the site of Westport's first town meeting, the church continues to hold its doors open to the needs of many people. Currently, there are more than 50 different 12-Step Groups meeting daily in various facilities, and the church is host to a Scout Troop, a nursery school, and various other community groups.
The congregation is dedicated to the goal of providing a safe, functional, comfortable and appealing house of worship and rooms and facilities that will enhance the work of all who seek and have need of this premise.
Since 1832, The Saugatuck Church has called 23 pastors and 25 student, assistant and associate ministers to serve the congregation. The pastors are listed on a special plaque in the Narthex.
We are blessed to have strong leadership in religious education for our children, small groups for adults and inspirational music sung by adult and children's choirs during weekly services. Our outreach to the community and worldwide is very important in our missions.
We rejoice this year, 2010, in celebrating 178 years of worship in Saugatuck Congregational Church. A story, with God's help, both treasured and continued. Our hope and our vision is to be:
“A community of Christ, welcoming all people and learning to love both God and neighbor.”
The steeple of The Saugatuck Church continues to stand tall, beckoning all who wish to share in this work to come through its open doors and then to serve in the world.
“The glory of the Lord, filled the Lord's house… and they worshipped and gave thanks to the Lord.”