Wapping Community Church

In 1761, “winter privileges” consisting of the right to employ a minister through the winter months was obtained by the Wapping parish.  Their petition stated there were two hundred souls and thirty-two families.  Prior to obtaining these privileges, they had to travel 4 ½ miles to the Main Street Church, “through the wilderness.” The first meeting house in Wapping was constructed under the title of “a schoolhouse.”  The first preacher was Dr. Matthew Rockwell.  He was a practiced physician as well as a minister.  The ill-constructed schoolhouse, known as the “Wapping Barn,” was torn down by a group of young men in the year 1799.  In 1801, a new structure was raised jointly by the people of different denominations.  It was understood the Congregationalists were to become the sole owners when they paid the other denominations for the value of their shares. In 1834, the Congregational Society was formally organized.  The present church, although remodeled several times, still contains many of the original beams and boards of the first church.