Union Chapel (Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts)

Union Chapel
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Union Chapel
Location	Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Coordinates	41°27′16″N 70°33′31″W
Built	1870
Architect	Samuel Freeman Pratt
Architectural style	Stick/Eastlake, Octagon Mode
NRHP reference No.	90000677
Added to NRHP	June 7, 1990

Union Chapel (or the Oak Bluffs Christian Union Chapel) is an historic octagon-shaped church building in Oak Bluffs, on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The church was built in 1870 as a non-sectarian worship space in an area dominated by the Methodist summer camp meeting known as Wesleyan Grove. Acquired in 2002 by the nonprofit Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust, the building continues to be used for nonsectarian religious services, and also serves as a community center and performing arts space.

History

The area now called Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard began to develop in the 1830s with the establishment of a Methodist summer camp meeting which became known as Wesleyan Grove. The popularity of the camp prompted the formation of the Oak Bluffs Land and Wharf Company to develop areas adjacent to the camp as a resort area.

The chapel was built in 1870 as a non-denominational house of worship for vacationers who were not Methodist. The church, an eight-sided structure with an open internal plan, was designed by local architect Samuel Freeman Pratt, whose work for the Company included its headquarters building.

The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 1990. In 2002 the building was acquired by the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust. The building continues to be used for services on a seasonal basis, and is also used for community events and as a performing arts space.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Dukes County, Massachusetts
• List of octagonal buildings and structures in the United States

External links

• Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust homepage for Union Chapel