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Boston: Welcome Back Bean Blowers! A Back Bay Landmark is Restored

EntSun News/11083739
~ Boston's Back Bay neighborhood is home to many historic buildings, but one in particular stands out for its unique architectural features and rich history. The First Baptist Church, located at the southwest corner of Commonwealth Avenue and Clarendon Street, has been a sacred space for over 150 years.

Originally constructed between 1870 and 1872 for the Brattle Square Unitarian congregation, the church was designed by renowned architect Henry Hobson Richardson. Richardson, who was born in St. James, Louisiana and studied at Harvard and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, was one of Boston's most famous architects at the time.

The church's design is similar to that of Trinity Church in Copley Square, which Richardson also designed just two years later. Both buildings are made of local Roxbury puddingstone and feature a striking 170-foot-tall tower with a decorative frieze carved into sandstone.

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What makes this frieze even more significant is that it was modeled by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the French sculptor best known for designing the Statue of Liberty. Each side of the tower depicts religious scenes representing baptism, communion, marriage, and death. It is believed that some of the figures in these scenes are likenesses of famous Bostonians from the time period.

The tower also features four angels holding gilded trumpets facing downward, earning the church its nickname "Church of the Holy Bean Blowers." This unique feature adds to the building's charm and has become a beloved symbol among Boston residents.

However, despite its grandeur and significance in Boston's architectural history, the church faced financial struggles just four years after its completion. The Brattle Square Unitarian congregation dissolved due to their inability to cover the costs of maintaining such a large structure.

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Thankfully, in 1881, the First Baptist Church purchased the building from its previous owners and relocated from Boston's South End neighborhood. The church continues to own and occupy the building to this day.

In recent years, the church has undergone extensive fundraising and restoration efforts to preserve its iconic tower and overall structure. In 2016, work began to stabilize and repair the tower, but it was later expanded to include roof and masonry repairs for the entire building.

Thanks to the support of the Back Bay Architectural Commission, as well as funding from the City of Boston's Community Preservation Act, Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund, and National Fund for Sacred Places, the church has been able to continue its preservation efforts.

Now, after nearly a decade of restoration work, Boston residents and visitors can once again admire this historic building's beauty and appreciate the vision of two influential nineteenth-century artists - Henry Hobson Richardson and Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi - as well as the skilled craftsmanship of those who brought their designs to life. The First Baptist Church stands as a testament to Boston's rich architectural heritage and will continue to be a cherished landmark for generations to come.

Filed Under: Government, City
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