History:

Sheltered in its maple grove the West Bowdoin brick church, with its nearby cemetery, was established in 1818. Sunday services have been held there through the years.

A description of Old Home Sunday in 1949: Upon this pleasant day, the brick church was filled with whole families of worshipers who call West Bowdoin home and think of this edifice as their spiritual residing place. More than 100 invitations had been extended. Several generations were represented, but in the happiness that shone from the faces there was but one age among them. They were all carried back to their happy childhoods in this community.

The first Baptists in this locality was established in Lisbon Plains, now called Lisbon Center, in the year 1812 by Elder Josiah Farwell, who in 1818 together with Elder Humphrey Purinton, organized the Second Free Baptist Church of Lisbon. This became the present West Bowdoin Church. Meetings were held at first in a schoolhouse about a mile distant from the present edifice. The schoolhouse later burned.

The band of twelve earnest Christian men and women who signed the newly organized church register were as follows: Stephen Whittemore, William Woodard, Joshua Beal, Daniel Booker, John Catlin, Mary Booker, Sarah Woodard, Priscilla Purinton, Deborah Cowing, Bethiah Hall, Martha Galispie, and Judith Tracy. Many of these names are familiar in this locality, even if none of the descendants are living here today. We can imagine the zealous hearts of these Christians as they gathered to found their own church.

At the second meeting, held shortly after the organization of the parish, many more names were added to the register. The membership increased until it became a hundred within 11 years. It was then one of the largest in the State of Maine. Entering heartily into the work, these Christians were able to make their church the success for which they had so earnestly prayed.