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Fourth of July Rededication Held on 125th Anniversary of July 4, 1897 Dedication

The Pine Orchard Union Chapel rededication was held on July 4, 2022, following the annual July 4th Parade, led by members of the Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps, shown here passing the chapel. Photo by Tricia Bohan Photography

The Pine Orchard Union Chapel, as seasonal, nondenominational building established in 1897 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has completed a two-year historic restoration to bring the structure back to its original glory. Photo by Tricia Bohan Photography

The July 4 rededication, held inside the chapel, included historical remembrances, tributes, and patriotic music. Photo by Tricia Bohan Photography

The Pine Orchard Union Chapel, a seasonal, non-denominational building established in 1897 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has completed a two-year historic restoration to bring the structure back to its original glory. The $700,000 project was supported by more than $500,000 in donations from local residents, three grants from the Connecticut Historic Restoration Fund, and Connecticut Historic Tax Credits. The project involved dozens of local volunteers and contributions of time, materials, and expertise.

“This was a modern-day barn raising,” said Chapel Association president Barbara Colley. “In the midst of a global pandemic, our community of 400 households pulled together to ensure that this unique, historic asset was restored to its original beauty. It represents generations of love and community commitment.”

The restoration was completed in time for the 125th Anniversary Celebration of the Chapel. The original dedication was held on July 4, 1897. The rededication was held on July 4 following the annual July 4th Parade, led by the Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps. The parade, which took place at 9 a.m., included children bedecked in red, white and blue on bikes, wagons, and golf cars. The rededication which followed was held inside the chapel and included historical remembrances, tributes, and patriotic music

“The decision to build a nondenominational chapel in Pine Orchard followed the neighborhood's growth as a resort community. Informal organ and hymn-singing gatherings began in the summer of 1891 at Rock Point Cottage, the home of Joseph P. Beach... Howard T. Moss also assembled local children for weekly Sunday school classes... By the summer of 1895 several new cottages had been built and services in Pine Orchard included visiting clergymen who led impromptu parlor discussions. To raise funds for its construction, “neighborhood children collected nearly $7 for a chapel fund, some of which was raised by digging and selling clams. The fund was supplemented by $114.19 through a series of parties hosted by Pine Orchard families.” – National Register of Historic Places Nomination

Today, the Chapel operates as a community gathering place where weddings of every denomination (and no religious affiliation) occur, summer arts and crafts camps are held, community tag sales take place, memorial services are hosted, and community parties occur. Every 4th of July since 1897 there has been a 4th of July Parade, led by the Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps, in which children in costumes gather on foot, on bike, in wagons and on golf carts and march two blocks to the Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club.

The building is a rare example of Queen Anne-style church architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Chapel is managed by The Pine Orchard Union Chapel Association, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.