In 1743, members of the original church who lived in this part of town asked to be set off as the East Parish. By 1748, a meeting house was ready and the Rev. Peter Thatcher accepted the call as its first minister. The meetinghouse, "for the public worship of God", was built on land given by John Sweet. In 1824, the decision was made to build a new meetinghouse rather than repair the old one. The building was erected in 1825 and lengthened in 1857. In May 1904, the present brick building was erected. The beautiful 1825 edifice, known as the "White Church", was taken down in 1951.