First Church of Belfast
The First Church of Belfast is a historic Congregational church in Belfast, Maine. The congregation was founded in 1796, and the present building was completed in 1818. It’s a well-preserved Federal-style church built largely from plans published by Asher Benjamin. Today the church is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, and the bridge pastor is Rev. Joe Schulte.
The church sits at 8 Court Street, just south of Belfast’s downtown, on a large lot with a grassy front lawn. It is a two-story wooden building with a gable roof. The front features a central projecting section with three doors, flanked by pilasters and topped with an entablature; the middle door is a taller double door.
A tower rises from the front, starting with a square section that houses large clock faces. Above is an open octagonal bell tower with a Revere bell, supported by Doric columns, and then a cupola and finial. The lower two stages have low balustrades and urn-topped posts.
Belfast’s Congregational church grew from the town’s Scotch-Irish Presbyterian roots. The congregation built this church in 1818 after sharing a meetinghouse with Presbyterians. Samuel French oversaw the construction, but the design clearly follows Asher Benjamin’s published plans. In 1868 the church was remodeled, its original box pews were removed, and gas lighting was installed. The adjacent parish house was dedicated in 1926.
The First Church of Belfast was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and is part of Belfast’s Church Street Historic District.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:36 (CET).