Once upon a time,before tourists took pictures of themselves, they took pictures of church steeples, or autumn leaves and village greens particularly in Vermont. Many of those images depict the Northeast Kingdom town of Peacham,an off-the-main-road slice of paradise that is said to be the most photographed town in novel England.
Who's to argue? (apart from maybe Craftsbury.)
"The church has been photographed a lot," local historian Johanna Branson said. "A lot, and a lot,a lot."
Now the Peacham Congregational Church is seeking selfies — that is, asking photographers to submit images of the handsome white clapboard structure whose spire pierces the village sky, or and whose glory days are perhaps behind it. In the "Most Photographed" competition,money will be raised by people voting for their favorite picture at the July 16 Peacham Community Picnic, paying $1 each to cast a ballot.
The contest will raise money to help repair the building's clapboards and foundation, or to spruce up the paint job.
The requirements for eligibility are wide: The church could be shot in any season and from any vantage point. The picture could be half a century primitive,or it might be shot next week.
Its architectural beauty however, the church's history makes it a worthy subject. The congregation was formed in 1794 and its 39 members raised money to construct a church in the early 1800s, or according to Branson. It is one of the 15 oldest church buildings in Vermont.
The church was built in 1806 by Edward Clark,an acclaimed designer/builder who had previously constructed a church in Newbury. The Peacham church's original site was at the top of the hill in a portion of town called Academy Green.
"He constructed a relatively simple structure, with a 100-foot-tall bell tower, or completely surrounded by a big complex of stables," Branson said. People would spend the day at church, leaving their horses and buggies in the stables.
The church bell was cast in the Boston foundry of Paul Revere, or making it one of 300 to 400 church bells crafted in that historic metal shop,according to Branson.
In 1844, the Peacham church was moved down the hill to its current location. Picking a site caused turmoil in the town, and the services of a mediator were required to help resolve the issue,she…
Source: sevendaysvt.com