About Our Historic Building
Beneficent Church is one of the oldest churches in Rhode Island. In its earlier days, it was known as the Church of the West Side. Originally part of the First Congregational Church, the Church of the West Side was established as a separate organization in 1743. This church later became known as The Beneficent Church, and the name "Beneficent," (from Latin, meaning, "doing good") remains with our church to this day.
Construction began on the current Meeting House began in 1809 (some sources say 1810), and the iconic dome earned the church the nickname "Old Round Top." Rising over 100 feet above street level, the dome was originally covered with common roofing shingles and then topped with a lantern and a sculptural adaptation of the Monument of Lysicrates in Athens. Over time, various repairs and renovations changed the dome considerably. The lantern and parts of the monument were replaced or repaired, and the original shingles were replaced with tin roofing.
In 1967, the congregation voted to cover the tin dome with gold leaf, but this gold finish proved too delicate to withstand Providence’s broad range of weather in the decades that followed. During a sweeping building restoration project in 1987, the congregation met and decided that both the gold leaf and the tin roof should be replaced with more durable copper sheeting, which gives the dome the light green patina visible today. More recent renovations have added handicap accessibility and other building updates and upgrades, but our informal meeting space still bears the name "Round Top Center," in honor of our dome's nickname, and the original Meeting House is still used for weekly worship services just as it was in the early 1800's.
Tours of the building by church members are available by appointment. If you would like to request a tour, please contact the Church Office at beneficentchurchucc@gmail.com. (Kindly request a tour one week in advance to allow for scheduling.)
Construction began on the current Meeting House began in 1809 (some sources say 1810), and the iconic dome earned the church the nickname "Old Round Top." Rising over 100 feet above street level, the dome was originally covered with common roofing shingles and then topped with a lantern and a sculptural adaptation of the Monument of Lysicrates in Athens. Over time, various repairs and renovations changed the dome considerably. The lantern and parts of the monument were replaced or repaired, and the original shingles were replaced with tin roofing.
In 1967, the congregation voted to cover the tin dome with gold leaf, but this gold finish proved too delicate to withstand Providence’s broad range of weather in the decades that followed. During a sweeping building restoration project in 1987, the congregation met and decided that both the gold leaf and the tin roof should be replaced with more durable copper sheeting, which gives the dome the light green patina visible today. More recent renovations have added handicap accessibility and other building updates and upgrades, but our informal meeting space still bears the name "Round Top Center," in honor of our dome's nickname, and the original Meeting House is still used for weekly worship services just as it was in the early 1800's.
Tours of the building by church members are available by appointment. If you would like to request a tour, please contact the Church Office at beneficentchurchucc@gmail.com. (Kindly request a tour one week in advance to allow for scheduling.)
