38 Elm Street — River Valley Church

In 1844 this lot was sold off from the meeting house lot, which in turn in 1848 was sold to a group representing the Methodist Church. The building dates from 1845. In 1868, James L. Mitchell purchased it for the Episcopalian Church, which then sold it to the Catholic Church five or six years later.  These changes in ownership and denominations reflect the changing demographics and religious life in Walpole.

After St. Joseph’s Catholic Church relocated to North Walpole (joining the congregation of St. Peter’s Catholic Church) in 2011, the building found new life as River Valley Church, an Evangelical congregation that began services there in 2024, continuing its long-standing role as a place of worship and community gathering. The structure retains its historic character, reflecting mid-nineteenth-century church architecture with a simple, functional design typical of New England village houses of worship, while also adapting to the needs of its modern congregation.

River Valley Church continues to serve as a spiritual and community center, illustrating the evolving religious landscape of Walpole while preserving an important historic structure on Elm Street.