New life in an old building

This solid-looking pyramidal steeple and bell tower grace the stately old Roger Williams Baptist Church in the Wanskuck neighborhood in Providence's north end.


I discovered this dignified gothic revival building, at the opposite end of Veazie Street from the Wanskuck Branch Library where I worked as branch librarian in 1998-99.  The church sits at the convergence of Veazie and Woodward Road.


The church was built in 1866 (1867 in some accounts) to serve the growing population of Providence's north end.  Much of this growth was related to the Wanskuck Co, founded in 1862 to produce textiles needed to make uniforms and blankets for the Civil war effort.


Sadly, the church closed in 2011 due to low membership, according to a story on the WPRI site.  Perhaps the decline reflects a much earlier population shift resulting from the close of the Wanskuck Co in 1957 as reported in a  short history of the Wanskuck neighborhood.


But there is good news for this old building - a new community of believers has recently purchased the property.  A  Providence Journal article reports that a new congregation, Christ Community Church, will move in later this month.    May God bless them as they bring new life to the building and to the community!