The Church on the Hill

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 20, 2026

1. The Church on the Hill Marker

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The Western Village Historic District is significant as a well-preserved upland Vermont village with a wide range of vernacular to high-style, early 19th to early 20th century structures that illustrate its development as an isolated residential, commercial and milling center. High concentrations of early Gape type houses, fashionable Federal homes, early landmark churches, Greek, Gothic and Italianate Revival dwellings, commercial structures, barns, mill buildings and archeological mill sites remain to create a strong sense of time and place that since the early 20th century has been consciously preserved for the benefit of residents and visitors. A 20th century awareness of Weston's early architecture is displayed in many of the district's harmonious Colonial Revival additions which, together with the 19th century legacy, provide a truly comprehensive view of Weston's past that will endure to anchor it into the future.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 20, 2026

2. The Church on the Hill

5. Baptist Church - Church on the Hill- Community Church, Lawrence Hill Road (1838, restored 1938)

This 3x3 bay, 1½-story, rectangular wood frame church in the Gothic/Greek Revival style is oriented with its pedimented gable facing front. It has a granite block foundation, clapboard siding and a slate roof. A square wood belfry rises in two tiers from the center front ridge and a brick exterior ridge chimney rises from the rear. The whole is articulated with plain cornerboards, watertable, narrow frieze and molded box cornices. The principal facade features twin entrances exhibiting doors with 8 molded panels. These are flanked by pilasters which support complete entablatures with electrified brass lanterns placed in the frieze portion. Sash on this facade is stained glass with plain surrounds, molded cornices, storm sash and flanking louvered wood shutters. A triangular louvered vent is located in the pediment with iron numerals giving the construction date "1838" in the peak. The belfry lends a Gothic character to the otherwise Greek Revival facade. It has two tiers with battlements and corner finials. The base is clapboard while the upper level has pointed arched louvered openings flanked by twin pilasters supporting a complete entablature. The side and rear

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 20, 2026

3. National Register of Historic Places plaque for the church

Weston Community Church
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
August 29, 1985

facades feature paired stained glass windows with plain trim and flanking louvered wood shutters; a Gothic effect is created by the blind, pointed-arch wood louvers surmounting each window. Rear horsesheds have been removed. The interior features a curved balcony.

The church was built by the Baptists and served as a model for the Congregational Church (no longer extant) built 1839. It became the Grange Hall in 1924 when it was wired for electricity. Stained glass windows were installed in 1910. It was restored by Lewis and Emma Wilder Parkhurst of Winchester, Massachusetts and dedicated as a church of all faithsfin 1938. The restoration was part of the remodelling of the village in this Cold Spring Brook area made possible by the Parkhurst T. S. Emma Wilder Parkhurst was a granddaughter of John Wilder, who built the adjacent house... The Church is currently in use in the summer months and is commonly called the Church on the Hill. The Church is prominently sited on a hill above the main road and is visible from the rear looking across the West River from the north end of the district, which was open land at the time of its construction. It is interesting to note that the rear facade is finished with the same detail as the side facades.