Old Ship Meeting House, 1681

90 Main Street
Old Ship Meeting House, 1681
Home of the First Parish Unitarian Universalist

Note: Not open until 12PM to accommodate their Sunday services

A living symbol of American history that has served both civic and religious purposes since Hingham’s early settlers raised it in 1681, the Old Ship Meeting House stands as a rare and beautiful National Historic Landmark. Old Ship is the only surviving 17th century New England Meeting House, and it is the oldest wooden building in continuous use as a church in the United States. First Parish in Hingham, a Unitarian Universalist congregation that evolved from the original Puritans, holds Sunday services and other programs there, and the broader community uses it regularly for civic, educational and cultural events and wedding and memorial services for all faiths. Town-wide events include the annual Lincoln Day, a celebration commemorating Hingham’s General Benjamin Lincoln, an Old Ship parishioner and George Washington’s Second in Command during the Revolutionary War, and President Abraham Lincoln, whose ancestors can be traced to Hingham. Thanks to centuries of preservation by parishioners and townspeople, one can still see the original 1681 roof structure, with its iconic wooden beams hewn from 600-year-old virgin red oak. Wings to the original structure were added in 1731 and 1755 as well as a carved pulpit and box pews. In the second half of the 19th century, a major renovation resulted in Victorian influenced design including drapes, wallpaper and traditional pews.In the 1930s -reflective of the Colonial Revival movement and under the leadership of J. Edgar Walker – the meetinghouse returned to the Colonial look we see today. Major preservation efforts in the past 12 years include updated electrical and safety systems, a restored steeple and weathervane and plaster, paint and window. During restoration, a pair of original 1681 doors set in the wall behind the pulpit were discovered. While celebrating its fascinating past, Old Ship Meeting House is prepared to serve generations to come.