At 10 a.m. on July 2, members and friends of Elijah Kellogg Church will gather for worship in the 18th-century meetinghouse across the road from the church. The congregation worships at the meetinghouse once a year, a day they call Heritage Sunday.
The meetinghouse dates to 1757, when the American Colonies were still part of the British Empire. The building is a National Historic Landmark. In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read from the steps of the meetinghouse.
The present-day church opened in 1843, built as part of an agreement to bring a pastor named Elijah Kellogg to Harpswell. Later, the town took over the meetinghouse and it served as the town hall for many years. The town still owns the building and works with the Harpswell Historical Society to care for it.
Kellogg, a famous preacher and writer of young adult literature, served as pastor from 1844-1854. He remained involved in Harpswell and the church until his death in 1901.
