Methodist Episcopal Church

Methodist Episcopal Church / Hope Day Care (1874, 1875, 1972)

A 2-story, 3 bay, Stick Style Church, by Stone & Carpenter, architects, of Providence, it is built into a steep hillside. Specifications for "Carpenter Work for Hall for Hope Company," dated July 17, 1874, exist in the records of the Hope Mill at the RI historical Society; the stonework, including the basement walls and the front and outside steps, was done by the Hope Company, and the carpentry and joinery by J. and C. Hall of Riverpoint. This clapboard church has a steep hipped -end-gable roof with flared sides; projecting eaves are supported on stickwork brackets. It originally had a large louvered belfry with a steep flared-hipped roof, is intact. Original windows have 6/6 double hung sash, gabled-roofed bracketed hoods and delicate foliate bargeboard. The lower level has large 6/6 windows with stone sills and lintels. Prime mover for building the Hope Church was Superintendent Samuel G. ALLEN, a devout Methodist. Before its construction, early religious services by ministers of various denominations, including George CHAMPLAIN, a black preacher and elder of the Warwick and East Greenwich Free Will Baptist Church, were held in the Old Picker House at the mill complex. By 1870 the Phenix Methodist Episcopal Church began to send a minister to Hope on a regular basis. In 1873 the Methodist Church Conference encouraged merger of Hope Village and South Scituate mission.

This building dedicated on May 13, 1875 was intended to be used for religious, social and literary purposes. From the outset, the Hope Mill maintained the village library on the lower level. From initial 425 books, the library expanded and published its first catalogue of 611 volumes in 1883. Richard G. HOWLAND, successor to S.G. ALLEN, took an active interest in the library and appointed his daughter Alice as librarian in 1896. Alice HOWLAND served in this role for 50 years, increasing the number of books to 4, 376 and becoming the first president of the Hope Library Association in 1946. Hope Church was supported by the Hope Company, as did its successor, the Lonsedale Company. In 1944 it was sold for $10.00 to the Hope Methodist Church, subject to conditions that the Hope Library Association continue to use its room in the building, that the use of the auditorium and vestry be available to other groups and organizations, subject to the approval of the church's board; and that if either the church or Hope Library Association failed to use the building, that it would become town property. In 1996 a new and larger library opened on North Road, and in 1970 the church merged with Shepherd of the Valley Methodist Church. The building became the Hope Day Nursery School established in 1972. Play areas at the lower level on the north side are set off from Main Street by a steel balustrade and stone wall.


Taken From "Discover Hope Village" A National Register Historic District in Scituate, Rhode Island, RI Historical Preservation & Hertiage Commission c. 1996 page 52

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