Beneficent Congregational Church

Built In

1809

History

This church's ground floor and galleries held 150 pews. The dome on an octagonal base, which tops out more than 100 feet above the street, is the building's defining architectural feature and gave the church the nickname "Round Top Church" or "Old Round Top." James C. Bucklin's 1836 changes to the building included replacing the belfry with a lantern in the style of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens. At some point, the original roofing shingles were replaced with tin roofing. In 1967, the tin was covered in gold leaf, which turned out to be too delicate for the city's weather. As part of a large 1987 restoration project, the gold leaf and the tin roof were replaced with copper sheeting. More recent work has included adding accessibility.