A Brief History of First Church, Unitarian Universalist of Athol, Massachusetts
by Chris Coyle, Church Historian
First Church, Unitarian Universalist is Athol’s oldest church. The early history of the church and town are intertwined. The first five proprietors and their families arrived here in what was to be called Pequoig in 1735. The first meetinghouse was built about 1741 but burned before it was completed. It was located on Hapgood Street near the present Hapgood Apartments. The second meetinghouse was built about 1742 in a more protected area of the new township, just outside of East Fort on what we know today as Pleasant Street. There was only one pew and this pew originally belonged to Dr. Joseph Lord. In addition to other civic duties, Dr. Lord provided the preaching in those early days. At length, a bitter dispute arose between Dr. Lord and other proprietors of Pequoig. Before anyone was the wiser, Dr. Lord absconded with all the records, plans and maps of our town’s early years and left the state.
After Dr. Lord’s disappearance, the church was gathered. The church covenant was signed by nine proprietors and their first settled minister, Rev. James Humphrey on August 29, 1750. The township grew. In 1773, the 3rd meetinghouse was completed on the land we know today as the uptown common. This was a true meetinghouse, serving not only for church worship but for town meetings as well. About the time that the second meetinghouse opened, a controversy erupted over changes made to the old custom of singing hymns. Prior to this time a deacon read the hymns, two lines at a time. Then, the choir or congregation would sing these lines. The discord grew out of a congregational vote to do away with the deacon performing this duty and having parishioners singing directly from hymn books. This controversy eventually resulted in the resignation of Rev. Humphrey, who had been their minister for over 30 years. His successor, Rev. Joseph Estabrook was called to the Athol pulpit on July 25, 1787. When but a boy, Joseph Estabrook had been one of the immortal group on Lexington Green in April 19, 1775. Later, as a minister , he won the confidence, love, and respect of the entire parish. Rev. Estabrook served Athol’s church for 43 years.
The fourth meetinghouse, which survives today as the Athol Historical Society, was dedicated on December 3, 1828. Sixteen months later, on April 18, 1830 Rev. Estabrook died and was buried in a plot adjoining that of Athol’s first pastor, Rev. James Humphrey in the old Pleasant Street Burying Ground. Later, Mr. Estabrook’s remains were moved to the Highland Cemetery. Reverend Estabrook had scarcely been laid to rest when controversy erupted which would forever change the religious makeup of Athol. In 1802, events in another Massachusetts town started a movement. The Old Pilgrim church in Plymouth MA became Unitarian in theology by congregational vote. So began a trend which would follow in over 100 cities and towns over the next several decades. A series of events occurred during the summer and fall of 1830 which culminated with a considerable number of church members withdrawing from the First Church and forming the Evangelical Congregational Church. At this time the First Church became Unitarian.
The fourth meetinghouse was renovated in 1847 and the upper portion became the town hall while the church continued to hold title to the lower floor for worship services. A large centennial celebration was held in 1850 under the capable hand of Rev. Samuel F. Clarke. At the anniversary service on September 9, Rev. Clarke delivered his Centennial Discourse. He documented the history of the church’s first century and indeed much of the early history of the town in this work and it was subsequently published.
At a time when transportation was not what it is today, the Unitarians living in the downtown section of Athol were interested in having the church move at least part way downtown. Powerful uptown interests prevented this and as a result on November 17, 1876 a group of depot village residents met in the Pequoig Engine House to discuss methods for bringing more readily accessible services to them. Out of this meeting grew the Second Unitarian Society which was incorporated on June 11, 1877. Services were held for the first four years in Starr Hall, located where the Garbose Building is today on the corner of Main and Exchange Streets. The first minister was Rev. James Parsons. In April, 1881 the new Second Unitarian Church building was opened at 478 Main Street.
On January 28, 1912 Athol’s worst fire in many years claimed the wooden Second Unitarian Church. After the fire, the doors of nearly every Protestant church in town were opened to the Second Unitarians and they accepted the offer of the First Church and worshiped in their structure until a new church was built. The Second Unitarian Society completed the present brick church building at 478 Main Street in 1915 (see the picture above). In 1922 the First and Second Unitarian Churches merged to form the First Church, Unitarian. They chose to use the “new” brick building in downtown Athol.
In 1961, the Unitarian denomination merged with the Universalist denomination, creating the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). First Church of Athol became a UU church.
Our Unitarian Universalist church worship services are still held at the brick building on Main Street, at 10:30 AM on Sunday mornings from Sept. through June, with one exception. In honor of our history, an annual worship service is held every June in the old 4th meetinghouse, now the Athol Historical Society.