Almost 100 years ago, historian George W. Drisko described the Centre Street Congregational Church in Machias this way:

“The Church was dedicated free from debt; the pride of the town, because of its size and beautiful architectural outline,” Drisko said. “No one thing ever accomplished by its citizens did so much to elevate and promote the town’s good name.”

Little about the early Gothic Revival church has changed since Drisko’s 1904 observation.

In the past year, however, the congregation has been raising some $350,000 to restore and preserve the historic structure and make it accessible to people with disabilities.

Another $75,000 is all that is needed to reach the $425,000 goal that church members set for themselves last fall.

With assistance from the Maine Community Foundation, the congregation identified what needed to be done “to continue reaching out and working cooperatively within the community through arts, music, spiritual renewal and social action.”

That fairly sums up what makes Centre Street Congregational a focal point for the community and a center that beckons inside members and nonmembers alike.

First on the list of projects is an attachment to the 166-year-old building to allow for installation of an elevator, stairs and a connector.

Restoration of the historic Stevens tracker organ, bought in 1867 from George Stevens of Cambridge, Mass., is next. Stevens, a leading 19th century New England organ maker, shipped the instrument in pieces by boat from Boston.

The Ladies Circle of Centre Street Church raised the $2,300 to pay for the chestnut-cased pipe organ, building on the musical interests of the community and those of one of the church’s first ministers. The Rev. James Lyon, who began his ministry in 1771, is said to be the “first writer of musical composition” in English North America.

Centre Street’s musical heritage is evident today. The church’s well-known chancel and bell choirs have produced a CD, “Music at Centre Street,” recorded with the Stevens organ.

The church also is known as host of the Machias Bay Chamber Concerts, which have been bringing world-renowned musicians to the area each summer since 1969.

The Washington County Children’s Chorus, a group of 40 children from ages 7 to 18, holds rehearsals and many of its concerts at the church.

Another priority for the church these days is renovation of the kitchen, vestry and sanctuary as well as preservation of the Tiffany-style stained-glass windows installed in 1899.

The memorial windows representing biblical themes are the outstanding decorative feature of the sanctuary, according to a description of the church by Earle G. Shettleworth Jr., director of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.

The commission successfully nominated the Centre Street church for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Other features of the church are its weathervane-topped steeple with the ornamental dials of the eight-day town clock on each of its four sides. Purchased in 1854 with $600 raised by the Ladies Clock Society, the clock is wound twice a week.

The 38-inch diameter bell that rings on the hour was bought by Capt. Stephen Longfellow in 1836 and was cast by Paul Revere’s foundry in Boston.

According to the National Register of Historic Places, Centre Street Congregational ranks as one of Maine’s rare examples of early Gothic Revival.

It has remained the unchallenged architectural focus of Machias since its doors opened in 1837.