A Hundred-Year Tradition

For over 100 years, the children of the Wainscott School have walked down to the Wainscott Chapel to participate in the Wainscott Sewing Society’s annual luncheon. Founded in 1869, the Wainscott Sewing Society was given title to the chapel in 1953 when the Wainscott Village Improvement Society disbanded. During its long history, the chapel has been part of the prohibition era, with meetings held by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. It has also seen weddings, funerals, has been used as a polling place, and is used for monthly meetings by the Wainscott Citizen’s Advisory Committee.

While the Wainscott Sewing Society plans to maintain its longstanding tradition of hosting the children and staff from the Wainscott School for lunch, the organization relies upon fundraising efforts for the upkeep of the chapel, which still has no indoor plumbing (water for its sink is provided by means of a black hand pump). The Wainscott Sewing Society also hopes to be able to make the chapel handicapped accessible. The proceeds from their upcoming fundraiser, the Wainscott Strawberry Festival, on June 16, will be used for the maintenance of the chapel.