In 1833, workers from the Lonsdale Mills in the Lonsdale section of what was then Smithfield (now Lincoln,) Rhode Island began holding church services in a small schoolhouse. In 1834 they formally organized themselves into the Christ Church, an Episcopal parish that still exists today. The Lonsdale Company donated the land for a church and also donated a small amount towards the building expenses. The Christ Church was completed in 1835 and would stand for 48 years before being destroyed in a fire. The church you see in today's photo was built on the same location in 1884. Like most 19th century parishes, the faithful were buried on church grounds. The graves in this historic cemetery tell the tale of the era of the mills in Rhode Island with the earliest burials dating to the 1830s. The community has changed significantly over the years, and the Lonsdale Mills have long since ceased operations, however the Christ Church continues to thrive in the center of the historic village of Lonsdale.
Post processing started with a sepia iv filter in Topaz B&W FX. I adjusted color sensitivity sliders, adaptive exposure, regions, contrast, boost black, and protect highlights. Brightness, contrast, and levels adjustments were added in PSE.
