The corner-stone for the Harvard Congregational Church was laid in 1887. The church was located at approximately 15-19 Gleason Street. In 1928, Congregation Bnei Israel began to use the building, and they left in 1943. At some point, the building was taken down, and in 2002, the land was broken into three parcels. A private developer built new two-family buildings on the site.
Harvard Congregational Church, The Boston Globe, July 3, 1887.
Corner-stone Laying.
Impressive Services in Connection Therewith
Observed by the Harvard Congregational Church, Dorchester
Remarks by messrs. Bicknell, Conprpost, Valentine and Others
Beneath the trees surrounding the site of the Harvard Congregational Church, Dorchester. and on the temporary staging erected on the completed foundation walls of the proposed edifice, gathered a goodly assemblage yesterday afternoon to take part in the impressive service in connection with the laying of the corner-stone.
The exercises opened with music by the Mendelssonn Quartet, after which Rev. T. Valentine of Harrison Square invoked the divine blessing, and following the reading of the Scriptures by Rev. Frank Kasson, Thomas K Conpropst furnished the historic statement relative to the formation of the society.
Mr. Conpropst’s remarks were as follows:
“The establishment of a religious society on or near Harvard Street, Dorchester, has been under discussion for several years, and in 1883 the matter of erecting a chapel on Harvard street was presented at the annual meeting of the Second Parish of Dorchester by Thomas W. Bicknell. In 1884 the subject was more earnestly talked over by the people, and more interest was awakened by the advent of new families. At this time a plan for a chapel was drawn by a noted Boston architect and estimates were made for the building by J. H. Burt &Co. of Dorchester. Charles H. Greenwood very generously offered a lot of land at the north-west corner of Harvard Street and Warner Avenue for the use of the proposed society.” …
A letter was read from Mr. Roswell Gleason, making a generous donation of land on Gleason Street. From this time our church building affairs began to take shape in organized action. The articles of agreement were entered into on the seventh day of March, 1887, and for substance of doctrine contain the following statement:
“The Name of the Corporation shall be the Harvard Congregational Society of Dorchester. The purpose for which it is constituted is religious, educational and charitable, for the support and maintenance of the public worship of God, for the primary education of children and youth, and for the support of such charities as may be consistent with the aforesaid purpose.
“[The members of the Committee] have caused plans for a church edifice to be drawn, estimates procured, and contracts made, with Herbert Moseley as architect. The excavation and construction of the cellar have been performed by Hugh Nawn at a contract price of $771. The erection of the church building has been contracted for by Messrs. Meade & Mason of Boston at a cost of $7744. The building will be sixty-five feet square, with an octagon apse, an audience room, a lecture room, a pastor’s study, a Sunday school room and ladies’ parlor, a library room, kitchen cloak-room, and other proper apartments.”