First Congregational United Church of Christ - Portland

The First Congregational United Church of Christ is recognized by its dark basalt exterior and lighter sandstone trim, a color contrast that earned it the local nickname, the Holy Checkerboard. Completed in eighteen ninety-five, this structure features a one hundred and seventy-five-foot bell tower and remains one of the few examples of Venetian Gothic architecture in the United States. Designed by Swiss architect Henry J. Hefty, the building was inspired by the Old South Church in Boston.