First Parish Unitarian-Universalist Church (First Meeting House)

2 Westford Street

This church was the first organized religious group founded in Chelmsford. Reverend John Fiske became the minister of the town in 1654 after the townspeople offered to give him “30 acres of meadowland and 30 acres of farmland” in exchange. He helped to construct the new parish as well as new homes. Rev. Fiske grew ill but

continued to preach to the churchgoers until he was buried in the Forefathers Burying Ground. Rev. Thomas Clark then took over after his job, and he too was eventually buried in the Forefathers Burying Ground. His great-grandson was founding father John Hancock!