Asa Bates Memorial Chapel

The Asa Bates Memorial Chapel, also known as the Ten Lots Chapel, is a historic brick church and community center at 2 Ten Lots Road in Fairfield, Maine. It serves as an important landmark for the Ten Lots area, a rural community settled in 1774 and divided geographically between Fairfield and Oakland. The building is notable not as a commercial brand but as a locally significant religious, civic, and architectural institution. Constructed between 1916 and 1918, the chapel was commissioned and given to the community by Milton LaForest Williams. Williams had been raised in the Ten Lots community by his grandfather, Asa Bates, whose name the chapel commemorates. Bates lived from 1794 to 1878 and was associated with the local community that Williams later supported through philanthropic gifts. Williams was one of the area's major early twentieth-century benefactors, and the chapel was intended to function both as a church and as a community center. The building is the most architecturally imposing structure in the small Ten Lots settlement. Its design follows the Classical Revival tradition, with a single-story brick body and a prominent Roman temple-style entrance. Four Doric columns support an entablature that continues along the side elevations, while a modillioned gable pediment and centrally placed half-round fan window complete the front elevation. Marble pilasters divide the three-bay facade, and the central entrance includes a diamond-grilled transom and a simple marble surround. The architect has not been identified in the available historical record. The interior was planned to accommodate both worship and community activities. A vestibule provides access to a library room occupying approximately one-third of the structure. The larger rear portion contains an auditorium, separated from the vestibule by sliding mahogany doors. Plastered walls and ceilings, coved plasterwork in the auditorium, and a basement with a large open room and kitchen area reflect the building's multipurpose design. A small brick, gable-roofed extension projects from the rear. Williams died in 1919, shortly after the chapel's construction, and was buried in Lake View Cemetery in Oakland, another local institution that benefited from his philanthropy. The Asa Bates Memorial Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, recognizing its architectural character, local historical associations, and role in the development of the Ten Lots community. Current operating arrangements, ownership, and the extent of present-day religious or community use are not established by the supplied sources.

The Ten Lots area, where the chapel stands, was settled in 1774 and developed as a small rural community spanning portions of Fairfield and Oakland, Maine. The chapel's institutional history is closely connected with Milton LaForest Williams, a prominent local benefactor who had been brought up in the community by his grandfather, Asa Bates. Bates, who lived from 1794 to 1878, provided the namesake for the later memorial building. Williams arranged for the construction of a substantial brick chapel that would serve both religious and civic purposes. Work took place from 1916 through 1918. The completed building was designed in a Classical Revival style and became the most architecturally prominent structure in the Ten Lots settlement. Its Roman temple-inspired facade, four Doric columns, marble detailing, fan window, and formal pediment gave the rural community an unusually monumental public building. The identity of the architect has not been documented in the available material. The plan of the chapel reflects its dual purpose. The front vestibule connects to a library room, while the main auditorium occupies the rear portion of the ground floor. Sliding mahogany doors allow the spaces to be separated or combined. The interior uses plaster walls and ceilings with coved plasterwork in the auditorium. Below, the basement contains a large open room and a partitioned kitchen, facilities consistent with meetings, social events, and other community functions in addition to worship. Williams died in 1919, soon after the chapel was completed. He was buried at Lake View Cemetery in Oakland, which was also among the recipients of his civic and philanthropic support. The chapel thus forms part of a wider pattern of Williams's contributions to local institutions and public places. In 2002, the Asa Bates Memorial Chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation recognized the building's architectural significance and its association with the history of the Ten Lots community. The chapel is also referred to as the Ten Lots Chapel. The supplied sources do not establish its current ownership, governance, operating schedule, or precise continuing use, so those details remain unknown.

• 2002

  National Register listing

  [1]Asa Bates Memorial Chapelen.wikipedia.org

  The chapel was listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places.

• 1919

  Death of Milton LaForest Williams

  [1]Asa Bates Memorial Chapelen.wikipedia.org

  Williams died and was interred at Lake View Cemetery in Oakland, another local institution associated with his philanthropy.

• 1918

  Chapel completed

  [1]Asa Bates Memorial Chapelen.wikipedia.org

  The Asa Bates Memorial Chapel was completed as a church and community center for the Ten Lots area.

• 1916

  Construction begins

  [1]Asa Bates Memorial Chapelen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of the brick Classical Revival chapel began under the patronage of Milton LaForest Williams.

• 1774

  Settlement of the Ten Lots area

  [1]Asa Bates Memorial Chapelen.wikipedia.org

  The Ten Lots area began to be settled, eventually developing across parts of Fairfield and Oakland in Maine.

A locally significant historic church and community gathering place rather than a commercial consumer brand.

1. 1Asa Bates Memorial Chapelen.wikipedia.org