History

The meetinghouse for the town that became known as Pownal was built of logs in 1789 on the highest point of a plot of land that was granted for public use in the town’s 1760 charter. In 1849, Union Church, which would later become Pownal Center Community Church, replaced the meetinghouse at a cost of $2,875. The head of every household, religious or not, was approached by a committee and urged to help with the construction of the church. One farmer and his sons from the west side of town cut several logs and hauled them six miles, from his woodlot to the Bushnell and Barber sawmill at the outlet of Perch Pond (now known as Barber Pond). From the sawmill, the crew then brought the lumber all the way to the Center. The church, a large square building that resembled most other churches in New England country towns at the time, was built in the middle of the town “green” (Brownell, 1889). It had old fashioned pews and a gallery that extended around three of its sides. The church hosted many funerals, and on those occasions the building was filled to its utmost capacity, although the average Sunday congregation was small.

The church was first organized by the Baptists in 1794 (long before the construction of Union Church) but also received Methodist support and has always been open to any denomination. The church and the Town of Pownal are joint owners and have shared in the maintenance of the building. For years, town meetings were held on the first floor of the church, but as Pownal's population grew they were moved to the elementary school, and voting moved to the firehouse. 

The Carriage Barn, where early settlers tethered their horses while they attended service, is adjacent to the church. It was restored with approval from the Selectmen in 1976 for the celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial and has been used for social and fundraising events. For (30?) years, the Women’s Fellowship hosted an annual Pie Festival during what is now Indigineous People’s Day weekend. This event was their claim to fame, and drew in townspeople and visitors alike, who traveled to Pownal Center to sample over 150 varieties of homemade pies. Linda Hall, a former member, would spend hours baking—from noon on Friday until Sunday morning—and contribute 30 pies to the Festival. The Fellowship also hosted a strawberry festival in June where they made and sold sundaes, shortcakes, and biscuits. 

In 2006, the 11,000 pound bell tower of Pownal Center Community Church was successfully removed because it had been leaning and was deemed an imminent safety concern by an engineering consultant. The Secectboard authorized $5,000 for the project. The Greater Heights Tree and Land Management firm and the Burgess Brothers Construction Company worked together to lift the bell tower from the building roof and place it in a wooden “crib.” The removal project lasted two and a half days; it was delayed several times because the tower did not separate easily from the rest of the building. Careful work was done to secure the bell and ensure the tower remained intact. Some day, everyone in town hopes to see the day that the bell tower is replaced.