So I have to start this week’s column with a confession. Last week when I took you through the history of the Greek Orthodox Church, I inadvertently said that the current Baptist Church on Cemetery Road was a Free Will Baptist when in fact it is the Free Baptist Church. So to anyone of the Baptist faith, I apologize and I promise to never make that mistake again.
So with my confession complete, I can now turn my full attention to Holy Trinity Church, which today we are familiar with on High Street, but it was not always so. In fact, for the first 107 years of its life, it could be found on the corner of Main and Walnut streets, where the Strafford Learning Center is located today.
I’m going to take you back to 1853 when Somersworth was a thriving village with around 2,000 residents. Many of those residents were of irish descent and were among those who had fled their home country in 1841 in search of food and jobs. Many would find those jobs in the mills of the Great Falls Manufacturing Company (GFMC). With these immigrants would come their predominant religion of choosing; Catholicism and they were not entirely welcomed with open arms by the mainly Protestant worshiping residents. They would, just like the French Canadian immigrants, be pushed to the outskirts of the then-town. Until 1856, these residents would be served by visiting pastors from Dover or they would have to trek into Dover each Sunday to observe Mass there.
In 1856, they were granted a full-time pastor by the name of Rev. Micheal Lucey and it would be he along with his parishioners who would build both the church and parsonage on land that was donated by the GFMC for the purpose. That was a tradition that began with the Protestant churches in the city and here there is a key difference in that the church was built not in the center of the city as the Protestant churches had been, but instead was sent to the outskirts as were the Irish immigrants.
The church itself was traditional in style on the outside but according to records it was the interior that would amaze those who traveled through its front doors. One of those who was beguiled by its majesty was Bishop Bradley of Portland and on one visit would remark that the church should be called, “the little cathedral.” With its marble altars, gothic carvings and elaborate paintings, it was not hard to see why the name would stick. Another important feature of the old church was the large bronze bell that would call parishioners to Mass each day. The bell was donated by George Burliegh who was an agent of the GFMC.
Over the coming years, the church would bear witness to countless weddings, baptisms and funerals. A Catholic school would be built in 1929 adjacent to the church and I’ll talk more about that in a later column. In 1959, the 100th celebration was celebrated with due gusto and it would not be until 1962 that the old lady began to really show the ravages of time. It was ultimately decided by various committees that the church should be demolished and a new house of worship be built on High Street.
That building is the one that we are familiar with today and was dedicated as a house of worship on Oct. 16,1966. While the old church may have been lost to time, some of it still remains including that bronze bell that was donated which can be found at the top of the bell tower that still welcomes parishioners to Mass today. The other artifact that is a remnant of the grand old lady of Main Street is the Statue of the Sacred Heart that sits on the front lawn of the rectory and this spring will burst with color once more in memory of parishioner Wilhemina Wiegman who was responsible for helping many Jews escape during World War II. The statue that once stood between the old church and rectory on Main Street was rededicated to the memory of all the deceased members of Holy Trinity Parish.
Today, sadly, all that remains of the old church is a few granite steps, the old parsonage now an office and the large maples that each fall give spectacular color to the corner of Main and Indigo street. Next week I’ll be taking a look at the equally interesting history of St. Martin’s Catholic Church.
Thank you
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to those of you who have reached out through emails, letters or in person about this column. I enjoy researching and writing about the history and happenings of Somersworth, but your communications are what take history to the next level. A picture and a newspaper can tell me about a building but only the souls that filled that building could truly bring it to life. When you share your memories, that is exactly what you do. So please don’t hesitate to reach out, my mailbox is always open …
A reminder
If you have kids under the age of 12 you want to save the date of April 3 because the Easter Bunny will be in Somersworth. This event is being presented by the Somersworth Recreation Department and registration is required. You can find everything you need including registration details at https://www.somersworth.com/parks-recreation/pages/special-events
That’s all for this week so until next week, stay safe, be kind and keep wearing those masks.