Smith Chapel

I am too old to participate in the Durham Historic Association's historic treasure hunt, but that doesn't mean the Celebrate Durham blogging team can't highlight the sites on the list, starting with historic Smith Chapel!

Smith Chapel, located at 45 Mill Pond Road, was built for and named after Hamilton Smith by his wife, Alice Congreve, in 1900. According to the town website, Smith Chapel was modeled after a chapel in England where poet Alfred Lord Tennyson’s father was rector. It is constructed in the English Gothic style with stone buttresses at each corner. Many years after being built, the property was donated to the Town of Durham.

Hamilton Smith was a wealthy and well-known philanthropist. Originally from Kentucky, Hamilton Smith lived in Durham when he was young and attended the Durham Academy.

If the names Congreve and Hamilton Smith sound familiar to you, its because Congreve Hall and Hamilton Smith Hall on the campus of the University of New Hampshire were named after members of the family. Oh, and P.S., you can apply to host your wedding at Smith Chapel!