Shiloh Temple, Religious site in Durham, Maine, United States
Shiloh Temple is a four-story brick building in Durham featuring a distinctive seven-stage square tower crowned with a circular belfry overlooking the Androscoggin River. The structure displays the classical architectural styling typical of the late 1800s and early 1900s period.
Baptist minister Frank Sandford established the complex in 1897 as a religious community that grew to house over 1000 residents in its early years. The site was later recognized for its place in American religious history and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.
The temple embodies the ideals of early evangelical communal living, where believers resided and worked together under one spiritual vision. Visitors can observe how the structure was designed to support this shared daily life, though the original community has long since dispersed.
The building stands on Beulah Lane and now operates as Shiloh Chapel, an independent evangelical church open to visitors and the local community. Plan to spend time observing the detailed architectural features both outside and inside the structure.
The original complex was vastly larger than the building standing today, encompassing over 500 rooms where the community operated its own print shop, cobbler shop, and working farm. The agricultural operation was remarkably productive, supplying the large population with essential food items.
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