Gothic Revival

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​In 1988, The First Church of Christ in Northampton and the First Baptist Church of Northampton merged to become First Churches of Northampton. With its origins dating back to 1654, First Churches of Northampton began the same year Northampton was settled by English Puritans. The Churches’ current Gothic Revival structure was completed in 1878. Designed by the Boston architectural firm of Peabody and Stearns, the building is constructed using mostly locally sourced materials found in western Massachusetts such as Longmeadow brownstone, which gives the exterior its distinctive color. Providing a warm glow throughout the sanctuary, the large stained glass windows are made of leaded colored cathedral glass. Of particular note are the two memorial windows: the west wall window is entitled “The Stream of Life” (1899) and is signed by Louis Comfort Tiffany and the window on the east side is titled “Noli Me Tangere” and attributed to Tiffany’s workshop. ​The First Churches of Northampton’s building is a noted example of Gothic Revival architecture and is included on the National Registry as part of the Downtown Northampton Historic District.