Ribbon Cutting - Brown Chapel

Ribbon Cutting for Ellen T. Brown Memorial Chapel

Join the Chamber and Mayor Donna Holaday for a Ribbon Cutting to promote that the Ellen T. Brown Memorial Chapel is now open for events.

The chapel was designed by architect Edwin Sherrill Dodge, a Newburyport native and also the architect of the Newburyport High School. The nondenominational chapel was completed in 1914 and intended to be used for funerals of anyone to be buried in area cemeteries. The funds were donated by John T. Brown in 1900 in memory of his wife, Ellen. By 1953, the emergence of modern-day funeral homes had made the chapel a less popular venue for funerals, as well as the fact that its heating system was outmoded and deteriorating.

The board of trustees undertook the project of restoring the chapel in August 2007 and the exterior restoration was completed in November of 2007. The trustees were recognized by the Newburyport Preservation Trust for the chapel historic preservation work. The second phase of the restoration is that of the interior is ongoing.

Though restoration continues the chapel is available to the community May through September for funerals as well as fundraisers, weddings, chamber music concerts, art exhibits, and other events.