Association
Elder Grey Meeting House is an historic treasure in the town of Waterboro, ME. Built in 1806 and moved to its present location in 1832 (a story in and of itself!), the Elder Grey Meeting House was entered upon the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and was the first building in Waterboro to be so designated. Since 1926, the building and the cemetery across the road have been carefully tended and kept in good repair by the Elder Grey Meeting House-Cemetery Association, made up of volunteers, young and old, from near and far.
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Meeting House
The Elder Grey Meeting House is a single gable, unadorned hall, typical of early rural meeting houses dating back into the 18th century. The charm of the Meeting House is especially evident inside. The 37 boxed pews, painted blue with darker trim, are carefully numbered on the faux grain painted doors. The seats are shallow and not comfortable during a long sermon. And best you not be tardy. The pulpit and two front doors face the congregation, so the disapproving looks of your fellow churchgoers as you enter, facing all, could be embarrassing.
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Cemetery
The Elder Grey Cemetery sits across the road from the Meeting House. A well-maintained resting place in a country setting, the cemetery is rich in local history and bucolic charm, and rewards equally the casual passer-by and the serious visitor. In the center, two granite obelisks mark the resting spot for Elder Gray's parents, Nehemiah and Olive Gray. Elsewhere lie the graves of Robert Bradeen, James Uran, and Eligood Mills, early settlers of Waterboro and Revolutionary War veterans. Regardless the season, this tranquil spot is worth a detour.
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Donate
- Meeting House
This historic treasure has been preserved for over one hundred years by volunteers providing labor, materials and—more often in this 21st Century— monetary contributions. Learn how you can help.
To Donate - Cemetery
The annual upkeep of the cemetery and capital expenditures are financed primarily through lot sales. However, we have created a Perpetual Care Fund to ensure funds for cemetery maintenance and improvement long into the future. You can help . .
In the News
August 5, 1928 (New)
Sunday, August 5, 1928 marked the third annual Pilgrimage service at the historical old Meeting House on the hill, known as the Elder Grey Meeting House. A column in the Sanford Tribune-Advocate newspaper describes the procession that in 1832 moved the old Elder Grey building up the hill to its new home, nearer pastor Elder James Gray. Many yokes of oxen, rattling chains, and according to tradition, a jug of rum accomplished the move to the summit of the hill. Read the article here. > > Read the full history here. > >
August 6, 2023
The 97th annual Pilgrimage Service was held on Sunday, August 6, 2023. It was a perfect day weather-wise, and Rev. John Cole, filling in for Rev. Judy Braun, delivered the sermon. Read more here.
November 5, 2021
Californians Kelli Smith and her mother Eileen Roberts, descendants of Robert Bradeentook a little detour to include a visit to the Elder Grey Cemetery. Read more here.
September 19, 2021
Gravestone restoration expert Jess Davis and her assistant, Alec Taliaferro, have repaired the two Gray gravestones as well as the gravestone for brothers Benjamin Frank Barnes and Elijah Barnes. Read more here.
September 4, 2021
Robert Bradeen descendants Lara Gilleland and her mother Linda (Bradeen) Gilleland visited the Elder Grey Cemetery and Meeting House. Bradeen's burial is said to be the oldest in the Cemetery. Read more here.
Elder Gray Descendants Visit: Three descendants of Nehemiah and Olive (Goodwin) Gray arrived to visit the Elder Grey Cemetery on a recent June 2021 day. Read more here.
Restoration Update: June 2021. The beginning of Phase Two of the restoration that started in 2018 is underway. In May, highly trained workers with Octagon Cleaning & Restoration began the removal of coats of shellac, calcimine, and paint from the ceiling that had been applied over many years. Pictures and details here. If you are interested in donating to the cause, you can read about our most recent campaign and join in the preservation of this historic structure and the adjoining cemetery.