PARIS — The First Baptist Church of Paris on Paris Hill will celebrate the 175th anniversary of their building on Friday, Dec. 6. The current building was dedicated on Dec. 6, 1838.

There will be an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. This is free and open to the public to come visit the church and view the renovations that have just been completed. Some of the contractors will be present to explain their work.

For more information, call Mary Beth Caffey at 754-7970 or email [email protected].

The church started with 20 people in 1791. They met in homes or barns in the early days. In 1803 the church built its first meeting house at what is now 500 Paris Hill Road at the top of Paris Hill. The four acres of land cost $10. The building was built by Isaiah Fuller.

It was the center of the community, on the town common, and was the only church in town. The pastor was referred to as the “Town’s Minister.”

The church was established as a Baptist church and in 1794 Elder James Hooper became the first pastor. It has only been a Baptist church throughout its history.

The 1803 building was similar to the one today, but had some distinct differences. There were three doors on the front, but only one entrance to the church building itself. In the auditorium, the boxed pews went right up to the pulpit and altar area. The pulpit was high, as was common in that time. There were balconies on three sides.

Families bought their pews which also gave them a 1/64th ownership of the town common. A seating chart of the 1803 church is on display at this time at First Baptist Church.

The church was the center of the community activities. The church/meeting house was also the county court house. The church bell rang for church services and court proceedings. In time the downstairs area would serve as the town hall for the Town of Paris.

In 1838 a new church was constructed and the 1803 building was disassembled. Some parts from that building were used in the new structure. The architect was John Porter. The footprint of the building was some 16 feet farther away from the road, but was similar in size to the 1803 church.

To provide the funding for the construction of the church, the architect bought back all the pew deeds of the 1803 church and reissued new deeds to pay for the 1838 church. These deeds were considered paid in full in 1922. The pews themselves went through changes from an enclosed boxed style, to taking the doors off, to widening the seat and adding horsehair-filled cushions in 1922.

In the 1875 the altar was lowered to the level of the altar/stage and new pulpit furniture was added. This furniture is currently in use.

In 1903 some of the pews near the altar were removed to allow for a piano, an organ and a choir.

The church was heated for the first time in 1860. A vestry was added in 1864 at a cost of $892.67. Electricity was added in 1921, replacing a beautiful kerosene chandelier which had been installed in 1875. An indoor flush toilet was added in 1928. In 1962 a cement floor and three classrooms were added to the Cummings Hall.

The Town of Paris moved down the Hill to the commercial part of town in 1900 and the church was then given full responsibility of the building and the common. It has those responsibilities today.

Two main features of the building are the Revere bell which was made at the foundry of Paul Revere’s son, Joseph Revere. It arrived in 1821. The clock was given to the church and community in 1883 by the Hon. Hannibal Hamlin. The clock cost $400, delivered and set up. To this day it still rings every hour 24 hours a day with the same mechanism that came with it. The clock is hand wound every eight days by a volunteer clock keeper. Don Adamson is the current clock keeper and has served in this position for 40 years.

In January 2013 a new nonprofit corporation was started to maintain and renovate this historic structure. The Friends of the First Baptist Church of Paris, Maine took on a major renovation project this first year. The whole building from front to back was insulated for the first time.

The interior of the upstairs was painted. A new stage curtain was donated. The antique altar furniture was reupholstered. The largest addition was a new furnace.

In Cummings Hall, downstairs, the renovations could be seen even more dramatically. The new furnace required major duct work to be added. This was boxed in which changed the appearance of the ceiling. There were major electrical upgrades throughout the building. The ceiling in Cummings Hall was completely replaced. Thirty-three broken window panes were replaced with antique glass.

The most beautiful change was the painting of the Cummings Hall. Since 1960 it had been an institutional green. Now it is an antique white.

Outside, French drains were added to help with drainage and to prevent water from splashing up against the building’s walls. Chimneys were also repaired. A 1000-gallon propane tank was buried beside the rear of the building.

Due to the great generosity of the Friends of the First Baptist Church, all of this renovation has been completely paid for to date. New projects are being considered for the future, such as a kitchen renovation and exterior painting.