St. Thomas' Episcopal Church
On September 3, 1890, the church Vestry contracted for "the building of a Church and Chapel" in accordance with plans created by Henry Vaughn of Boston, to be built of stone.
Mr. Vaughn was recognized at the time as the pre-eminent designer of Anglican ecclesiastical architecture in the United States. On June 4, 1891, it was decided that the church only would be built at that time, with the Chapel to be built later. Digging for the foundation began on June 29, 1891. Some stones in the walls of the church were taken from various parts of the state and country and set by individual parishioners. The first service in the new church was held on Sunday, September 4, 1892.
The church is a Gothic style building that has been modeled on the English country parish churches of the Perpendicular Period, particularly those in Somerset and the Cotswolds. The most prominent feature is the square, battlemented tower at the northwest corner, onto the outer corner of which is attached a round turret capped with a conical roof. The architectural, and artistic, significance of the interior of the church is found in the contribution of all the details to a single effect: that of creating a space in which a satisying balance between verticals and horizontals characteristic of the Perpendicular style is achieved.
The building was consecrated by the Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Edward M. Parker, on Sunday, September 17, 1916. In June 1984, this "minor masterpiece" which is St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, was placed on the National Register of Historical Places.
On September 3, 1890, the church Vestry contracted for "the building of a Church and Chapel" in accordance with plans created by Henry Vaughn of Boston, to be built of stone.
Mr. Vaughn was recognized at the time as the pre-eminent designer of Anglican ecclesiastical architecture in the United States. On June 4, 1891, it was decided that the church only would be built at that time, with the Chapel to be built later. Digging for the foundation began on June 29, 1891. Some stones in the walls of the church were taken from various parts of the state and country and set by individual parishioners. The first service in the new church was held on Sunday, September 4, 1892.
The church is a Gothic style building that has been modeled on the English country parish churches of the Perpendicular Period, particularly those in Somerset and the Cotswolds. The most prominent feature is the square, battlemented tower at the northwest corner, onto the outer corner of which is attached a round turret capped with a conical roof. The architectural, and artistic, significance of the interior of the church is found in the contribution of all the details to a single effect: that of creating a space in which a satisying balance between verticals and horizontals characteristic of the Perpendicular style is achieved.
The building was consecrated by the Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Edward M. Parker, on Sunday, September 17, 1916. In June 1984, this "minor masterpiece" which is St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, was placed on the National Register of Historical Places.
The William Hale House
William Hale was born in Portsmouth, NH on August 6, 1765 and arrived in Dover around 1794 to become a partner in his older brother Samuel's business. The Hale brothers were for many years the town's leading merchants. William Hale represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Congress from 1809 to 1811 and again again from 1813 to 1817; and at various times served as representative, senator and counsellor in state government. When Mr. Hale died on November 8, 1848, he was "Dover's oldest, wealthiest, and most respected citizen". For such a man, the building of a house had to have civic, cultural, and emblematic significance. The site was on Central Street (now Central Avenue), where the current Dover City Hall is located.
The house, designed by Bradbury Johnson, was constructed during the summer of 1806, at a cost slightly exceeding $3,000. It was impressive, as intended, with an ornamental pool that, shaded by trees, surrounded the house. It was, at the time, called "Dover's finest Federal-style three-story dwelling".
When President James Monroe visited Dover on July 17, 1817, he was entertained and accommodated for the night in William Hale's house. Toward the end of General Lafayette's year-long triumphal tour of the United States, he also visited Dover. Following a ceremonial dinner at the town hall, he attended a party at William Hale's mansion. That night - June 23, 1825 - the aged French aristocrat and the thriving American entrepreneur both slept in the large guest chamber on the second floor. It is from this celebrated visit that the mansion of William Hale became commonly known as "the Lafayette house". When William Hale died, ownership of the house passed to his daughter, Lydia R. Hale, and upon her death, to Sarah Low, her niece and Hale's granddaughter.
William Hale was born in Portsmouth, NH on August 6, 1765 and arrived in Dover around 1794 to become a partner in his older brother Samuel's business. The Hale brothers were for many years the town's leading merchants. William Hale represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Congress from 1809 to 1811 and again again from 1813 to 1817; and at various times served as representative, senator and counsellor in state government. When Mr. Hale died on November 8, 1848, he was "Dover's oldest, wealthiest, and most respected citizen". For such a man, the building of a house had to have civic, cultural, and emblematic significance. The site was on Central Street (now Central Avenue), where the current Dover City Hall is located.
The house, designed by Bradbury Johnson, was constructed during the summer of 1806, at a cost slightly exceeding $3,000. It was impressive, as intended, with an ornamental pool that, shaded by trees, surrounded the house. It was, at the time, called "Dover's finest Federal-style three-story dwelling".
When President James Monroe visited Dover on July 17, 1817, he was entertained and accommodated for the night in William Hale's house. Toward the end of General Lafayette's year-long triumphal tour of the United States, he also visited Dover. Following a ceremonial dinner at the town hall, he attended a party at William Hale's mansion. That night - June 23, 1825 - the aged French aristocrat and the thriving American entrepreneur both slept in the large guest chamber on the second floor. It is from this celebrated visit that the mansion of William Hale became commonly known as "the Lafayette house". When William Hale died, ownership of the house passed to his daughter, Lydia R. Hale, and upon her death, to Sarah Low, her niece and Hale's granddaughter.
On September 22, 1839, the Church of St. Thomas was formally organized. The parish, under the leadership of its first rector, the Rev. William Horton, purchased a lot on the north side of the mansion and built the church, a wooden Gothic Revival building with tall spire and many pinnacles, during 1840. By the late 1880's the City of Dover purchased the Hale House/St. Thomas' Church site to build its central offices. The church was torn down and the Hale House was moved to its present site in the middle of the south side of Hale Street. In 1901, the Hale House was purchased by St. Thomas' Church.
In December 1980, nomination was approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the William Hale House was entered into the National Register of Historic Places.
In December 1980, nomination was approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the William Hale House was entered into the National Register of Historic Places.
History of our Annual Harvest Fair
Hello to all of you from the fair committee! With a return to more normal times, we'd like to let everyone know about our Harvest Fair. It has been an ongoing activity at St. Thomas' 's since the early 1950s and maybe even before that time. As a member of the fair committee, I didn't even realize how many years it has been a tradition so I decided to do some research. There is almost no church paper record of the fair early on so I asked a few of our older members, " How long has the fair been going on?"
Georgia Campbell and Fran Whiting have been parishioners since the '70s. Their answer was "It was a tradition when I got here." Next, I asked Evelyn Mamagonian. She responded, " I remember going with my Mother and Father. At that time the fair took place as a Christmas Fair. She remembers a gentleman coming in and making wreaths and greens to sell for decorations. She also recalls that there were dolls dressed as nurses made by a young Lily Ford, another member of our parish, but Evelyn didn't quite remember what year that was.
So to get a little more information I asked one of our oldest members, June Meserve. She and her husband, Don, will be celebrating their 70th anniversary this December! WOW! She remembers the fair happening as a young lady and it was definitely happening when they got married. June also remembers it as a Christmas Fair. There would be a luncheon, the fair, followed by a big roast beef dinner.
Putting all the information together I know now that our fair tradition goes back to at least 1952, and maybe earlier.
Over the years the format of the fair has changed with the times. The date has changed to mid-October, we no longer do supper on the day of the fair, and we do not work with greens for Christmas. In the most important way, the fair does continue in certain traditions.
One of the most important traditions is that it is an opportunity for everyone in the parish to participate in some way large or small. We continue the tradition that the items sold are handmade or homemade by parishioners. We also continue the tradition of returning 90% to the work of the church with 10% donated to one of the charities of Dover such as the Friendly Kitchen or the Share Fund.
Each year we begin to prepare for the fair during the summer and fall. The work is organized by a committee and anyone is welcome and invited to join us. You will be hearing more about ways to help us out in the following weeks.
Sincerely, Carol Heighes and your fair committee.
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