History

Return to Home

The Congregational Christian Historical Society, Inc.

"FOUNDED" 1952.

"One of the mysteries of our time presents the second-oldest denominational founding of a colony on these shores waiting three hundred and thirty-two years to establish an Historical Society." (From an address given on the 25th anniversary of the Society, May 10, 1977 by Mervin M. Deems, who had participated in its founding meeting on October 15, 1952.) Yet as Deems noted, "there were antecedents," remarking the founding and purpose of the Congregational Union and of the Congregational LIbrary Association (both founded in 1853), certain in whose original functions (e.g., the collection and preservation of church records) would one day be shared with the Historical Society.

Frederick L. Fagley, who in 1922 had become the secretary of the Commission on Evangelism and Devotional Life and Associate Secretary of the National Council of Congregational Christian Churches, and who in 1949 had retired as Associate Minister and Secretary of the General Council, was the Society's first Executive Secretary. The first permanent office of the Society was at denominational headquarters in New York City. After Fagley's death, the office was moved to 14 Beacon Street ("Congregational House") in Boston and even more recently became domiciled within the Congregational Library at that address.