First Parish Unitarian Universalist, Canton, Massachusetts is a consolidation of two of the oldest churches in Canton.

First Parish Unitarian was officially gathered as a separate religious community in 1717. The church sanctuary presently in use was completed in 1825 and a Paul Revere bell hung in the steeple. The Parish Hall was added in 1878 and the chapel and classrooms in 1955.

The First Universalist Church began with a series of meetings in 1806 leading to the establishment of the Norfolk Universalist Society several years later. In 1847 a church building was erected, which continued in use for 127 years.

In 1964 the two congregations began a ten-year period of shared ministry and programs, culminating in their formal union on July 1, 1974.

Read a detailed history of Canton and First Parish (PDF).

View photographs from the 300th Anniversary, held on October 28 – 29, 2017.

Read “True Tales from Canton’s Past: Paul Revere Bells” an article in the Canton Citizen, written by George Comeau.