A new era began for Chester Factories in 1840 with the coming of the railroad. Businesses sprang up along with many opportunities for jobs and community expansion. What naturally followed was the need to establish churches in the village.

The Methodists of Chester already numbered close to 100 in 1800. In that year, classes were organized by Ebenezer Washburn and Billy Hibbard who provided the preaching at the home of Capt. Alexander, about two miles south of Chester Factories. Classes declined after 1802, however and there was a period when no preaching at all occurred until 1819.

Church membership increased after this and the Methodists, finding the accommodations too small, built a church for themselves. The new Methodist Church was completed in Chester Factories and dedicated in1847. It had meanwhile gone back to the New England Conference. Among the early pastors after Mr. Farr were the Rev. Kinsman Atkinson, S. Mattison, A.C. Hand, I.B. Bigelow, A.S. Flagg, I. Marcy, Jarvis Wilson and others. A union church edifice which was later also known as the United Church of Chester was also constructed in 1843 (with the town contributing to the cost in exchange for using the basement as a schoolhouse). The Second Congregational Church was organized on Nov. 13, 1844 at the same location. The church did not have a settled pastor until 1855. Records state that some of the early pastors included the Rev. Hubbard Beebe who preached on alternate Sundays for one year, and the Rev. P.K. Clark who preached from 1846 to 1848. They were followed by the Rev. Dillon Williams, Rev. John C. Strong and Rev. C.H. Hamlin. (History of Chester)

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