First Church in Dorchester (first) is built.

Also known as the First Parish Church in Dorchester, it is subsequently described as “a log house protected by palisades against the Indians” and located at the corner of today’s Pleasant Street and East Cottage Street. The congregation was established in Plymouth, England, on March 16, 1630, and held its first service in Dorchester on June 16, 1630. It is the first religious congregation in Boston and the third oldest in New England after Plymouth (est. 1620) and Salem (1629). John Wareham and John Maverick are the first ministers. Wareham leaves in 1635,* and when Maverick dies in 1636, he is succeeded by Richard Mather. The building is destroyed by fire and replaced on the same site by a new building (second) in 1645.* That building is moved to Meeting House Hill in 1670,* and replaced by a larger meeting house (third) in 1677,* and (fourth) in 1743,* and (fifth) in 1816,* and again (sixth) 1897.*