CLOSED CHURCHES WITHIN THE PRESENT BOUNDARIES OF THE
SUSQUEHANNA CONFERENCE OF
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
The information for each
church is arranged in alphabetical order within counties. Select a county.
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0. The Evangelical Church in
Dauphin County
Dauphin County was
severely impacted by the 1894 denominational split in the Evangelical
Association. Some charges were divided, with some congregations remaining
in the Evangelical Association and others siding with the United
Evangelicals. Some congregations were divided, with some of the members
remaining in the Evangelical Association and others leaving to form competing
United Evangelical Congregations. Some congregations did not survive the
split and ceased to exist soon after 1894. Not all the congregations that
survived the split participated in the 1922 re-union of the Evangelical
Association and the United Evangelical Church to form the Evangelical Church
(which then joined with the United Brethren Church in 1946 to form the
Evangelical United Brethren [EUB] denomination. Many United Evangelical
congregations declined to participate in the 1922 re-union, left the
denomination, and eventually formed the Evangelical Congregational
Church. For the purposes of this list, those congregations are considered
"closed" churches ― i.e., they are
congregations that were once part of United Methodism, and
now are no longer so. In general,
Evangelical congregations will be designated either EA or UE according to
whether they were part of the Evangelical Association or the United Evangelical
Church during the denominational split.
See Paul Deiner’s 1953 “The Evangelical Church in Dauphin County” in the
1998 issue of THE
CHRONICLE,
pages 54-69.
The United Brethren
Church in Dauphin County
See I.H. Albright’s 1917 “The
History of the United Brethren Church in Dauphin County” in the 1998 issue of THE CHRONICLE, pages 36-53.
1. Berrysburg UE
Location: PA 225, Berrysburg
Municipality: borough of Berrysburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The borough of Berrysburg is
centered at the intersection of PA 25 (9 miles west of Millersburg) and PA 225
(12 miles north of Halifax). From the center of town, go 0.5 miles south
on PA 225. The church is on the right.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the
Evangelical Association
Journal references:
1896,26 – permission to sell parsonage to
erect a parsonage in Elizabethville
Brief History:
This congregation of the Evangelical Association worshiped
with the Lutheran and Reformed congregations in the Union Salem Church [now
Peace United Church of Christ] until erecting their own church building at the
present site in 1846. The 1894 denominational split divided the
congregation. The majority sided with the United Evangelical Church and
re-purchased the church building in 1896. The congregation opted not to
participate in the 1922 re-union that formed the Evangelical Church ― joining with Elizabethville, Gratz and Pillow to
form the Berrysburg charge in the newly-formed
Evangelical Congregational denomination.
Final disposition:
The building is the home of the Berrysburg
Evangelical Congregational Church.
2. Berrysburg ME
Location: PA 25, Berrysburg
Municipality: borough of Berrysburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The borough of Berrysburg is
centered at the intersection of PA 25 (9 miles west of Millersburg) and PA 225
(12 miles north of Halifax). From the center of town, go 0.5 miles west
on PA 25. The building is on the left.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
In 1870 the Millersburg ME circuit had a parsonage at
Millersburg and 4 enduring appointments: Millersburg, Berrysburg,
Oakdale (Loyalton) and Cross Roads (Washington
Square/Elizabethville). This 36x41 frame
building was erected as a Methodist place of worship in Berrysburg
1843 and used until being closed in 1921.
Final disposition:
The building was used for many years as the Hoover
Funeral Home. It was later joined to the former Hoover's Appliance Store
and used as an annex to that business. The building is now unused.
There is a Methodist Cemetery west of town.
3. Berrysburg Sweitzer's Memorial UB
Location: PA 225, Berrysburg
Municipality: borough of Berrysburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The borough of Berrysburg is
centered at the intersection of PA 25 (9 miles west of Millersburg) and PA 225
(12 miles north of Halifax). From the center of town, go 0.5 miles north
on PA 225. The building is on the right.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
East Pennsylvania UB
1955,48/78
– Lykens Valley parsonage in B’burg sold to Harry
Chubb for $2600
Eastern Conference
1967,161
– permission to discontinue
1969,124
– discontinued 7/1/1969; assets to conference, members to E’ville
Trinity
Central Pennsylvania Conference
1972,203
– permission to sell
1973,204
– sold to Maranatha Chapel
Brief History:
The United Brethren work in Berrysburg
began in 1872 when the pastor of the Lykens Valley circuit started holding
services in a hall. In 1892 William Sweitzer, a member of the class,
purchased the hall and presented it to the congregation. The first floor
of the building was then transformed into a sanctuary, while various
organizations continued to use the upper floor. The church
was served as part of the Lykens Valley circuit until 1926. Since
that time it has been served in connection with larger
church as follows.
1926-29 Elizabethville
1929-32 Tremont
1932-39 Elizabethville
1939-42 Williamstown
1942-67 Elizabethville
The appointment was discontinued in 1967.
Final disposition:
In 1973, the property was sold to the Maranatha
Chapel of Berrysburg, Inc.
4. Bressler ME
[New Benton ME]
Location: 655 Monroe Street, community of Bressler
Municipality: Swatara township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From S. Front Street in Steelton, turn east onto
Highland Street, at the St. Lawrence Lodge.
Go east ½ mile to Center Street.
Go south 1/3 mile on Center Street to Monroe
Street. The building is on the northeast
corner of Center and Monroe Streets.
Historic Conference:
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
1904,77 – brief history of congregation
and building dedication
1931,49 – permission to sell
1933,61 – permission to sell, proceeds to
Epworth
Brief History:
New Benton was the original name of Bressler,
an unincorporated village between Steelton and Oberlin. This congregation was started as an outreach
of Harrisburg Epworth, where some members opened a Sunday School in the
schoolhouse and then proceeded by faith to purchase a lot and erect a building,
which was dedicated 4/26/1903. The
problem was that the area was officially within the bounds of the Philadelphia
Conference – which resented the incursion into their territory and refused to
recognize or accept the congregation. It
was served by supplies, students and retired persons
and last appears in the statistics in 1924 with 28 full members and an average
Sunday School attendance of 56. That
year it was placed with Newville and served by a student from Dickinson College. After that it no
longer appears in the journal.
Final disposition:
The congregation was forced to be unaffiliated,
and the building now houses the Bressler Bible Church.
5. Carsonville Trinity UB
Location: Powells Valley, community of Carsonville
Municipality: Jefferson township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the stoplight, south of Halifax, at the
intersection of PA 225 and PA 147, go north 1 block on 225-147 to Powells
Valley Road. Go east on
Powells Valley Road 9 miles to the community of Carsonville. The church is on the right, just before the
main road turns left.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania
Conference of the United Brethren Church
Journal references:
Eastern Conference 1967, 161 –
permission to discontinue
Eastern Conference 1969, 124 –
discontinued as of 7/1/1969; assets to conference trustees and members to
Ender’s Powell’s Valley charge
Central
Pennsylvania Conference 1971,185 – sold to Dale L. Zimmerman; $1000 for
property, $250 for furnishings [trustees: 9/24/70 #9]
Brief History:
One-fourth of an acre of ground was
purchased and this church was erected in 1862.
Carsonville Trinity (along with Jacobs, Union and Zion “Stone”) was one
of 4 churches on the original Powells Valley charge. In 1934 Powells Valley and Enders combined to
make the United Brethren’s large rural 8-point Enders Powells Valley charge
that existed until the 1968 United Methodist Union.
Final disposition:
6. Clark's Valley Grace EV
Location: PA 325 [Clarks Valley Road]
Municipality: Middle Paxton township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the borough of Dauphin, go north 2 miles on PA
225 to PA 325. Go east on PA 325 [Clarks
Valley Road] 2 miles to where the road crosses Clarks Creek. Just before the road crosses the creek, turn
left onto the old road. The building
stood on the left, immediately before the old bridge.
Historic Conference:
[East Pennsylvania Conference
of the Evangelical Congregational Church]
Journal references:
Brief History:
While there were Evangelical services
conducted over the years with varying degrees of regularity in the Clarks
Valley schoolhouse, this congregation was formed (and the building erected) by
the Evangelical Congregational denomination in 1930 and was never part of one
of United Methodism’s predecessor bodies.
It is included here for completeness – see the account of Zion EV. In 1972 this congregation merged with the
relocated Zion congregation to become the Clarks Valley Zion Evangelical
Congregational Church on McKelvey Road (the western extension of Clarks Valley
Road from PA 225). This building is no
longer standing.
Final disposition:
7. Cross
Roads ME
[Washington Square ME]
Location: 10 East Main Street, Elizabethville
Municipality: borough of Elizabethville
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Cross Roads [aka Washington
Square] was situated just east of, and continuous with, Elizabethville.
Today it is part of the borough of Elizabethville. Main Street is US
209. The building is on the south side of the road, at 10 East Main
Street.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
In 1870 the Millersburg ME circuit had a
parsonage at Millersburg and 4 enduring appointments: Millersburg, Berrysburg, Oakdale (Loyalton) and Cross
Roads (Washington Square/Elizabethville). The Methodists erected this one story, one
room, frame house of worship in Cross Roads
1871. The Methodist congregation lasted only two years. By 1873 the
building was being used by a United Brethren congregation of the East German
Conference. In 1879 the building was sold to the United Brethren.
Final disposition:
The United Brethren worshipped here until erecting
their new building in 1888. The structure was remodeled into a store and
dwelling, occupied for many years by Straub's Clothing Store.
8. Crums EA
Location: Colonial Road
Municipality: Lower Paxton township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the Harrisburg interchange of I-83 with US 22, go
east 1 block on US 22 [Jonestown Road] to Colonial Road. Go north ¾ miles on Colonial Road (just
across Devonshire Road). The site is on
the right.
Historic Conference:
East
Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical Association.
Journal references:
Brief History:
This church was erected in 1868 on land
given by Leonard Crum on what was then known as Goose Valley Road. The majority of the congregation
(actually, all but one or two members) sided with the United Evangelical Church
in 1894 and left to erect what is now Charlton UMC. The building continued to be used by various
church groups until about 1915, but was completely
abandoned by 1920. One night in 1933,
the building was dismantled and hauled away by unknown persons
to an unknown fate.
Final disposition:
The property is now designated as the Charlton
United Methodist Church Cemetery.
9. Dauphin Trinity UE
Location: 301 Market Street
Municipality: borough of Dauphin
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
When approaching Dauphin on the US 22-322 expressway from
Harrisburg, take the Dauphin Boro exit (immediately after passing through the
railroad underpass) and proceed west 4 blocks to Swatara Street. Go south 1 block on
Swatara Street to Juniata Street. Go
west 1 block on Juniata Street to Market Street. The church building is on the southeast
corner of Juniata and (northbound) Market Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This congregation met in a school house before erecting their first building in
1871. The congregation sided with the
United Evangelical Church during the 1894-1922 denomination split. In 1922 the United Evangelical pastor who had
been serving the appointment participated in the denominational re-union and
was reassigned by the Evangelical Church, but the congregation sided with the
dissident group that stayed out of the re-union to form the Evangelical
Congregational Church – and that group also assigned a pastor to the
congregation. Oral tradition states that
the two pastoral families shared the parsonage while the dust settled and the
congregation eventually officially Evangelical Congregational.
Final disposition:
The building is now Trinity Evangelical Free
Church.
10. Dauphin UMC
Location: 600 Erie Street
Municipality: borough of Dauphin
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
When approaching Dauphin on the US 22-322 expressway
from Harrisburg, take the Dauphin Boro exit (immediately after passing through
the railroad underpass) and proceed west 6 blocks to Church Street. Go north 1 block on Church Street to Erie
Street. The church building is on the
southwest corner of Church and Erie Streets.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Journal references:
2000,155; S-38 – appointment abandoned;
remaining members transferred out
2001,280 – sold to Frank/Barbara Pinto
Brief History:
The congregation traces its beginnings to
about 1835, when a wooden church building was erected on Railroad Street. When that structure burned to the ground on
January 12, 1888, the present site was purchased and
the existing stone building was erected and dedicated within the year. This appointment was originally on a circuit
with Coxestown [St. Mark’s], Paxton and Heckton. For
approximately the last 100 years of its existence, until 1993, Dauphin formed a
two point charge with Heckton. The congregation gradually dwindled away and the church was closed in 1999. The membership voted
9/20/1999 to close and the final worship service was held 12/5/1999. Only 4 members remained; the 3 resident
members transferred to St. Mark’s and the non-resident member to a church in
Williamsport.
Final disposition:
11. Dayton St. Paul’s UE
[no picture]
Location: community of Dayton
Municipality: Williams township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Dayton is a community along the “back” road connecting
Wiconisco and Williamstown
Historic Conference:
East
Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical Church
Journal references:
Brief
History:
After the 1894
split in the Evangelical Association, the United Evangelicals eventually formed
their own congregations of Williamstown Ebenezer, Wiconisco
Grace and Dayton St. Paul's. These churches remained outside the 1922 re-union
and became part of the Evangelical Congregational denomination.
There are 1921 references to a
Dayton United Evangelical Church that remained out of the 1922 denominational
re-union and became part of the Evangelical Congregational Church, existing and
supplied with Muir at least until 1975. Evangelical historian Paul Deiner [see
“The Evangelical Church in Dauphin County,” THE CHRONICLE, 1998, pages 54-70] states “The
Evangelical Association appointment at Dayton met in a schoolhouse, and there
was no church building there until the United Evangelicals erected one
following the 1894 split.” Nothing more is known about this congregation
or building.
Final disposition:
12. Elizabethville Ebenezer EA
Location: Main Street
Municipality: borough of Elizabethville
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the intersection of Main and Market Streets in
Elizabethville (the intersection of US 209 and PA 225), go west 3 blocks on
Main Street (US 209) to Buttonwood Street.
The building stood on the southeast corner of
Main and Buttonwood Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
1947,72&82&84 – permission to sell
property & transfer membership
Brief History:
This frame building was erected in
1886. The small congregation began to
diminish in the 1930’s and following the 1946 Evangelical – United Brethren
denominational union, the congregation accepted the invitation to become part
of their sister EUB church, Elizabethville Trinity, which had been United
Brethren. The building was sold in 1948
to adjacent property owner Edward T. Romberger, who donated the memorial window
depicting “The Shepherd and the Lost Sheep” to the merged congregation.
Final disposition:
Mr.
Romberger sold the building to the Emmanuel Wesleyan Church, who dismantled the
structure in sections and moved it to the north side of PA 25, about 1 mile
west of Gratz. The old building is no
longer standing, as that that congregation erected a new sanctuary in 2004 and
a new educational wing in 2010. The
Elizabethville site is now a grassy lot.
13. Enders Salem UMC
Location: Armstrong Valley, village of Enders
Municipality: Jackson township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Halifax, go north 1.9 miles on PA 225 to Rutter
Road. Turn right onto Rutter Road and go
3.2 miles to Enders Road and the village of Enders. Turn right onto Enders Road and go 1
block. The building is on the left
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1996,198 – merged into Fisherville Grace tp form Fisherville Faith UMC
Brief History:
Salem (along with Halifax Ebenezer,
Fisherville Grace and St. Paul’s) was one of 4 churches on the original Enders
charge. In 1934 Enders and Powells
Valley combined to make the United Brethren’s large rural 8-point Enders
Powells Valley charge that existed until the 1968 United Methodist Union. In 1996 Halifax Ebenezer, Enders Salem and
Powells Valley Union merged into Fisherville Grace (the lone remaining
congregation from the original Enders charge) to form Fisherville Faith.
Final disposition:
The building is now a private home
14. Fisherville ME, Fisherville EV
Location: 1840
Armstrong Valley Road, village of Fisherville
Municipality: Jackson township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
East Pennsylvania Conference of the
United Evangelical Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This
building is unique in our conference in that it was owned at different times by
all three of United Methodism’s predecessor denominations. It was erected as a Methodist Episcopal
church in 1859, sold to the United Evangelicals in 1891, and sold to the United
Brethren in 1903. By
denominational unions, it became Evangelical United Brethren and United
Methodist and continues as an active UMC congregation.
Final disposition:
This building now houses the Halifax Faith United
Methodist Church.
15. Fishing Creek Trinity UE
Location: 1629 Fishing Creek Valley Road
Municipality: Middle Paxton township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the interchange between Harrisburg and Dauphin of
US 22-322 with PA 443, go east 3.5 miles on PA 443 [Fishing Creek Valley Road]
3.5 miles. The church is on the right.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church.
Journal references:
Brief History:
Jacob Albright preached in the Fishing Creek
Valley, and records (see THE CHRONICLE, 1998, page 54) credit him
with at least conversion here in 1801 and one baptism in 1803. The class here was formally organized in 1831
and the building erected in 1898. This congregation remained out of the 1922
denominational reunion and became part of the Evangelical Congregational
denomination, known today as Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church.
Final disposition:
16. Forney's Emanuel UB
Location: village of Rife, off US 209
Municipality: Washington township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the square in Millersburg, go 5 miles east on US
209 to Shiffer Mill Road. Turn right on
Shiffer Mill Road and go 0.2 miles. The
site is on the left.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
Eastern Conference 1969, 124 –
discontinued as of 7/1/1969; assets and members to Elizabethville Trinity
1971,97 – abandoned
1977,A74 –
permission to sell to Cemetery Association
1982,256 – permission to raze, sell
1983,272 - permission to sell to Cemetery
Association
Brief History:
The first building at this site was erected
in 1858 on land purchased from John and Susanna
Forney. A new building was erected in
1901 and substantially improved in 1935.
The congregation was always vibrant, but never large – peaking at about
75 members in the 1950’s. There were 25
members remaining on the rolls when services were discontinued in 1969.
Final disposition:
The
building has been razed and replaced with a marker that contains the church
bell. The cemetery remains. The June 15, 1983, report of the conference
trustees states the church building “is being razed
by the Forney’s Cemetery Association. A
deed of transfer of the land to the Cemetery Association has been made in
return for this work.”
17. Gratz Simeon’s UE
Location: West Market Street
Municipality: borough of Gratz
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Market Street is PA 25. From the center of Gratz, go west 1 block on
Market Street to Pine Street. The
building is on the southeast corner of Market and Pine Streets.
Historic Conference:
East
Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This building was erected in the 1840’s as
Samuels Lutheran and Reformed Church – by members of the established Simeons
Lutheran and Reformed Church who had embraced the “new measures” of American
revivalism. In 1870 the property The congregation was United Evangelical during the 1894-1922
denominational split and became part of the Evangelical Congregational Church
in 1922. They relocated to a site 1 mile
east of Gratz and are now the Good Shepherd EC Church.
Final disposition:
Location: Ebenezer
Road
Municipality: Halifax township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Halifax go north 2.5 miles to Ebenezer Road. Go east 0.5 miles on
Ebenezer Road. The church is on the
left.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1996,198 – merged into Fisherville Grace
to form Faith UMC
Final disposition:
Location: 224-26
Armstrong Street
Municipality: borough of Halifax
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Entering Halifax from Harrisburg on PA 147 (4th
Street), proceed straight across Market Street to the T with Armstrong
Street. Turn left onto Armstrong Street
and go 2.5 blocks. The building is on
the right.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
Brief History:
This building was erected to accommodate
Evangelical Association members living in Halifax. It was part of the Millersburg circuit, but
according to Egles’ 1883 county history the work had
been abandoned.
Final disposition:
The
building is now residential.
Location: 228
Market Street
Municipality: borough of Halifax
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Entering Halifax from Harrisburg on PA 147, follow PA
147 when it turns left onto Market Street.
Continue 1 block. The church is on
the right on the northwest corner of Market and Third Streets.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
1986,304/562 – merged into Halifax Otterbein
Brief History:
An old log meeting house was erected in
Halifax in 1806, on the land now occupied by the Methodist Episcopal Cemetery, and was likely the first Methodist edifice in the
Dauphin County. That log structure was
replaced by the present brick structure in 1850. Following the 1968 denominational union that
created two United Methodist churches in town, it was known as Market Street
UM. In 1985 Market Street (former
Methodist) merged into Otterbein (former United Brethren) to form the Halifax
United Methodist Church and eventually erect a new building adjacent to the
high school.
Final disposition:
The building was originally sold to the Halifax
National Bank for $40,000 in 1986 – with the intention of holding the property
for 5 years in order that the community may have an opportunity to form an
historical society. The building is now
the home of the Halifax Area Historical Society.
21. Halifax UB
Location: 34 S. 4th Street
Municipality: borough of Halifax
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
South Fourth Street is PA 147 coming north from Harrisburg. As you enter Halifax from the south, the
building is o0n the east side of the street across from the high school.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the
United Brethren Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
In 1867 there was already a strong United
Brethren presence in the rural Armstrong and Powell’s valleys: Stone (Zion)
Church (1842), Enders Salem (1844), Jacobs (1861), Carsonville Trinity (1862). That year the United Brethren people living
in the town of Halifax were encouraged during a Methodist camp meeting at
Baker’s woods, 1.5 miles south of town, and established an appointment meeting
for worship in the Methodist church and for prayer meetings in various
homes. In 1869, land was purchased for
$210 and a church building dedicated February 27, 1870.
On June 23, 1985, the former Methodist church in Halifax merged into
Otterbein to form Halifax UMC. On June
11, 1990, the congregation left this building for their new structure on Wind
Hill Drive.
Final disposition:
The building is now the home of the YMCA Child
Development Center.
22. Halifax UMC
Address: 105 Wind Hill Drive
Municipality: borough of Halifax
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The church is behind the high school. Enter Halifax from the south, going north on
PA 147. Turn west on
Rise Street, the first street past the high school. Go one block on Rise Street to School Street. Turn south onto School Street and follow the
road ¼ mile, past the elementary school.
The church is on the left, just before entering the rear parking lot of
the high school. The designation “Wind
Hill Drive” does not appear to be used on the street signs.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This congregation was formed June 23,
1985, by the merger of the Market Street (former Methodist) and Otterbein
(former United Brethren) congregations – and the stories of those congregations
are given on separate pages. The
congregation dedicated their present new facility on an unused portion of the
Methodist Cemetery on June 11, 1990.
On
2/1/2023 the congregation voted 204-24 to disaffiliate from the United
Methodist Church, and that disaffiliation along with 140 others was approved at
a 5/17/2023 special session of the Susquehanna Conference.
Final disposition:
23. Harrisburg Asbury ME
Location: 1100 block of Herr Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the intersection of Herr and Cameron Streets, go
west ½ block on Herr Street. The site is
on the right, believed to be approximately where this eatery now stands.
Historic Conference:
Washington Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
Journal references:
Brief History:
The church building that stood on this site
was erected by the United Brethren [see Harrisburg Plymouth Chapel UB] in 1873
and sold to the Methodists in 1894 for $750.
While the history of black Methodism in Harrisburg is difficult to
document, it appears that this is the beginning of what became Mitchell
Memorial UMC – the congregation later relocating to Briggs and Cowden Streets,
then to 1322 Marion Street in 1938, and to 1919 North Fourth Street in 1957,
before merging with Camp Curtin to form the present Camp Curtin Memorial
Mitchell UMC in 1989.
Final disposition:
Location:
1400 block Regina Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Regina Street
runs parallel to and a few blocks south of Walnut Street. The site is believed to be close to the above
pictured southeast corner of Regina and Chayne Streets.
Historic Conference:
East
Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This was the first effort of the United
Brethren to establish a work in the Allison Hill section of Harrisburg. Land was purchased and a building erected in 1871. The
congregation struggled under an embarrassing debt. One report says that the building was sold in
1879 “for debts that could not cancelled” – but that the society remained
organized, possibly continuing to meet in the building. The appointment is not listed after 1882 and
Egle’s 1883 county history states that “Calvary Church was situated on Regina
Street near Fifteenth, but is no longer in existence.”
Gibble’s 1951 History of the East
Pennsylvania Conference discusses the project, and the exact wording of the
deed, on pages 204-5.
Final disposition:
25. Harrisburg Camp Curtin Memorial Mitchell UMC
[Curtin Heights ME]
[Camp Curtin ME]
Address: 2221 N. Sixth Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Sixth Street runs parallel to and about 6
blocks east of the Susquehanna River.
The site is two blocks north of McClay Street, immediately north of the
YMCA, on the east side of the street.
Historic Conference:
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church
Washington Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
1891,69 – church building dedicated July
20, 1890
1895,57 – building destroyed by fire
12/30/1894
1896,69 – new building dedicated
12/15/1895
1989,217 – received members of Mitchell
Memorial
2019,168 – discontinued 7/1/2019
2021,S-16 – all
105 members removed by action of charge conference
2022,273 – sold 4/7/2021 for $50,000 Chris
Bryce
Brief History:
This congregation began as an outreach to
the Schudermadgeville community northwest of the then
city limits of Harrisburg in 1889 with 50 members meeting in one room over the
grocery store of Reif and Reese on Woodbine Street. A wooden chapel was erected in 1891, and two
wings were added in 1893. That building
was completely destroyed by fire on 12/30/1894. A brick church building was erected in
1895. In 1912 the name was changed from
Curtin Heights to Camp Curtin Memorial.
The present sanctuary was erected in 1916, with the 1915 building
converted into an adjoining Sunday School auditorium.
In 1989, the congregation united with Mitchell Memorial to become the
Camp Curtin Memorial Mitchell UMC. In
2019 the congregation was closed as part of “Impact Harrisburg” – a
controversial and less than successful effort to unite all the Harrisburg UM
congregations into a single body.
Final disposition:
The property was sold 6/7/2021 for $50,000
to Harrisburg restoration specialists Chris and Erica Bryce. The property has since been resold and is in
disrepair. The noted painting in the
sanctuary (shown below) apparently could not be removed to a museum. The archives annex has the artist’s
preliminary smaller oil painting and other Curtin Heights ME materials on
display.
26. Harrisburg Christ UMC
[Rutherford Heights]
Address: 6570 Mifflin Avenue
Municipality: Swatara township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the
Methodist Church
Journal references:
2007,219 –
merged into Harrisburg CrossPoint
Brief History:
This congregation was started by the
Greater Harrisburg Methodist Union in 1962.
The sanctuary was erected in 1969.
In 2007, the work became a campus of the multi-site CrossPoint
[formerly Colonial Park] congregation.
Final disposition:
CrossPoint consolidated its multi-site locations and sold the
property 5/20/2021 to the Harrisburg Nepalese Bhutanese Church for $225,000.
27. Harrisburg Derry Street UMC
[Harrisburg Brookwood Mission UB]
Address: 1508 Derry Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania
Conference of the United Brethren Church
Journal references:
1889(Feb),10&20 – recommend opening a mission
in Allison Hill, Harrisburg
42 – new mission
projected at Brookwood in East Harrisburg
2019, 168 – closed 7/1/2019
2021,266 – sold 9/8/2020 for $155,000 to
Anglican Church of the Pentecost
Brief History:
This congregation began as an 1889
outreach of the Boas Street [First] United Brethren Church to East
Harrisburg. A brick church building
known as the Brookwood Mission was erected in 1890 and razed to make way for a
new building in 1906. The nearly finished
new building was completely destroyed by a disastrous
fire in 1907, and the present sanctuary was finally dedicated in 1908. The Christian Education building and chapel
were added in 1957.
In 2019 the congregation was closed as part of
“Impact Harrisburg” – a controversial and less than successful effort to unite
all the Harrisburg UM congregations into a single body.
Final disposition:
The property was sold in August 2020 to
the Anglican Church of the Pentecost (Diocese of the Church of Nigeria). The large building is
capable of handling multiple congregations, and in 2023 the building was
also home to the Imani African Christian Congregation.
28. Harrisburg Epworth UMC
Location: 21st and Derry Streets
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Derry Street is a main thoroughfare, the original road
from Harrisburg east to Hershey. The
church is on the southwest corner of Derry and 21st Streets. From I-83, take the 17th Street
exit (if heading westbound) or the 19th Street exit (if heading
eastbound) and go a few blocks north to Derry Street and then a few blocks east
to 21st Street.
Historic Conference:
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
2005,S50 – all
members removed
Brief History:
This congregation began in 1890 when 88
persons met in the East End School House on 21st Street to organize
the Epworth Methodist Episcopal Sunday School.
A church building was dedicated at 21st
and Derry on January 29, 1891, and added to in 1899 and 1902. The original frame building was razed and the
present stone structure erected on the same site and dedicated September 3,
1922 – the congregation worshiping during the construction in a temporary
tabernacle erected at 20th and Derry Streets.
Epworth’s membership peaked at 891 in 1963. In 2005 it joined with Derry Street (former United Brethren) to form a two-point charge in the Allison Hill area, and in 2005 the church was closed.
Final disposition:
The building was sold 4/25/2005 for $150,000 and
to the Bethany AME congregation.
29. Harrisburg Fifth Street UMC
Location: 5th and Granite Streets
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the Forster Street Bridge across the Susquehanna
River into Harrisburg, go east several blocks to 6th Street. Go
north on 6th Street almost a mile to Granite Street [one block past Hamilton
Street, and just past the Hamilton School on the right] Go west on Granite Street 1 block the
5th Street. The church is on
the northeast corner of Granite and 5th Streets.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church (until 1873)
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
1891,67 – church building
dedicated September 1890
1930,80 – history of congregation, as
Fifth Street hosts conference
2007,S-62 – all
members removed
Brief History:
An 1869-70 winter revival at the Ridge
Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church resulted in numerous converts, many of whom
lived north of Reily Street. Local
preacher Robert McWilliams obtained permission to hold services on a plot of
ground at 5th and Granite Streets during the summer of 1870. The services were well attended, the land was
purchased, and a chapel was erected and dedicated November 16, 1870. In 1889, the present sanctuary was erected and the original chapel was moved to the rear of the
lot to be used for Sunday School. In
1904 the original chapel was removed and a Sunday School annex added to the
sanctuary. In 1930 additional land was
purchased, the sanctuary and annex were extensively remodeled, and an entirely
new Church School unit was added.
Final disposition:
The building is now home to the Bethel AME
congregation.
30. Harrisburg First UMC
[Harrisburg Boas Street UB]
[Harrisburg Memorial UB]
Address: 260 Boas Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Journal references:
1954,88 – authorized to purchase adjacent
building to the west
2020,180 – closed 10/31/2019
2021,267 – sold 7/27/2020 for $99,000 to
Church 1 Holdings LLC
Brief History:
Final disposition:
31. Harrisburg Front Street UB
Location: Front
Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The church building stood on lot #52 of the original
town plan – the second lot south of Locust Street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
The 40x50 brick church building that stood
on the site had been erected by the Baptists in 1831, sold at a sheriff’s sale in
1850 to a Levi Wolfersberger, and sold by Mr. Wolfersberger to the United
Brethren in 1851. This was the first United Brethren effort in the city of
Harrisburg, and the congregation consistently struggled financially. In 1861 the church house was sold by the sheriff and the appointment was dropped from the Dauphin
circuit.
Final disposition:
32. Harrisburg Harris Street UMC
Address: 250 Harris Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the
Evangelical Church
Journal references:
1939,52 – fire started in furnace
2016,147 – discontinued
Brief History:
Final disposition:
33. Harrisburg Mitchell Memorial ME
Location: 1919 N. Fourth Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Fourth Street
runs parallel to and 4 blocks east of the Susquehanna
River. The site if
on the east side of the river at the southeast corner of North Fourth Street
and Delaware Street.
Historic Conference:
Washington Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
1989,217 – merged into Camp Curtin to form
Camp Curtin Memorial Mitchell UMC
Brief History:
The congregation moved to 1322 Marion Street
in 1938 and to 1919 N. Fourth Street in 1957.
In 1989 the congregation united with the Camp Curtin Memorial
congregation to become the Camp Curtin Memorial Mitchell UMC worshiping in the
former Camp Curtin building.
Final disposition:
The Marion Street property that was sold in 1957
is now an empty lot. The Fourth Street
building is now (2026) the Rose of Sharon Baptist Church.
34.
Harrisburg North Street EA
[aka Harrisburg Trinity EA]
Location: North and Capital Streets
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Capital Street runs parallel to and
one block east of Third Street. The
section of Capital Street between Forster and North Streets was vacated in 1955
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
Brief History:
This congregation was the 1884 re-union of
the Trinity Chapel (English) and Salem (German) congregations and erected this
building in 1886. When the congregation
sided with the United Evangelicals in 1894, the building was lost and the
congregation a new building on Harris Street.
Final disposition:
The property was sold to the Harrisburg Consistory
[Roman Catholic Church] in 1895 for $10,000 and served as the Scottish Rite
Cathedral 1895-1955, when it was demolished for expansion of the area around
the capitol building. The cornerstone
was returned by the Harrisburg Consistory when the building was demolished and
is now on the rear of the educational building at the Harris Street
church. The site is now the plaza
between the State Museum and the State Archives buildings.
35. Harrisburg Otterbein UMC
Location: 310 Peffer Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the
intersection of 3rd and Forster Streets, go 11 blocks north on 3rd Street to Peffer Street. The property is on the northeast corner of 3rd
and Peffer.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1883,9 – contemplating building a second
story
2003,171&288 – discontinued and
abandoned
2004,279 – abandoned, sale pending
2005,365 – sale pending
2006,338 – sold to New Day Way of the
Cross
Brief History:
This congregation began in 1879 when 40 members
of the Boas Street [First] church organized and were served from the Union
Deposit circuit of the East German Conference.
They worshiped in the Zwingle German Reformed
Church [North Street and Church Ally] before erecting their own building on
Reily Street [between Margaret Street and Kepner Ally]. The congregation relocated to the present
location [Third and Peffer Streets] in 1928.
Designed as a Sunday School unit, the building proved so adequate for
worship, education and fellowship that the once envisioned
sanctuary was never added.
Final disposition:
The Reily Street building is now [2023] the United
House of Prayer for All People church, and the Peffer Street building is now
[2023] the New Day International Kingdom Ministries church.
36. Harrisburg Park Street UMC
Location: 16th and Park Streets
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Go east on Market Street to 16th
Street. Go north one block on 16th
Street to Park Street. The building is
on the southeast corner of 16th and Park Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical Church
Journal references:
2013,139 - discontinued
Brief History:
This congregation began in 1895 when the
United Evangelical Church opened a mission in Allison Hill at 16th
and Park Streets. The congregation of
about 30 members dedicated a building there the last Sunday of 1895, but the work struggled under
great debt. In 1903 W.S. Harris was appointed and the debt was liquidated, a
parsonage lot was bought and paid for, and a fund was started for a new
building. In 1906 the old building was torn down and
the present sanctuary and Sunday School rooms were erected, being ready for
occupancy in 1907. While the new
building was being erected, the congregation met in a large tent on the
northeast corner of Market and 16th Streets – and, in colder
weather, at Fackler’s Hall on Derry Street.
In 1907, while the building was erected, the congregation also planted a
new congregation in Penbrook, at the corner of 25th
and Canby Streets. In 1908, the
congregation planted a new congregation in Rutherford Heights, where a church
building was dedicated in 1910.
In 2002, the congregation sold its
building and began worshipping in the Fourth UCC Church building at 16th
and Market as part of the Harrisburg Shared Ministry. In 2103, that arrangement was ended and the
Park Street congregation was formally discontinued.
Final disposition:
In 2002, the property
was sold to Way of the Cross Church of the Living God. That African-American
congregation deliberately chose to keep all the memorial nameplates on the stained glass windows and church furniture as a
memorial/reminder of their German Evangelical predecessors who established the
work there.
37.
Harrisburg Plymouth Chapel UB
Location: 1100
block of Herr Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the intersection of Herr and Cameron Streets, go
west ½ block on Herr Street. The site is
on the right, believed to be approximately where this eatery now stands.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This was a mission extension of Boas Street
[i.e., First] UB to this black neighborhood – see Gibble’s 1951 History of the East Pennsylvania Conference,
pages 199-200: “This congregation opened a new mission in 1873. Adam K. Fahnestock and wife Elizabeth sold a
plot of ground for the nominal sum of one dollar to the trustees of Boas Street
Church. The lot had a frontage on Herr
Street of sixty feet, between Eleven and Eleven-and-a-half Street,
and extended about 80 feet in depth toward Boas Street [i.e., to the
south]. The deed of sale is dated June
28, 1873. A building was erected in the
same year. It bore the name Plymouth
Chapel. Annual conference officially
recognized the mission and left it to the pastoral care of its organizers. The Chapel was used for mission and Sunday
School work until about 1890. Successors
of the [original] trustees, in 1894, sold the property to the trustees of
Asbury M.E. Church for $750.”
Final disposition:
38. Harrisburg Ridge Avenue ME
Location: Sixth and Herr Streets
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Enter Harrisburg
from the west by crossing the Susquehanna River on the Harvey Taylor Bridge,
which becomes Forster Street. Go eat on
Forster Street 5 blocks to Commonwealth Avenue. Turn North on Commonwealth Avenue and go two
blocks (after one block, Commonwealth Avenue becomes Sixth Street) to Herr
Street. The site is on the southwest
corner of Sixth and Herr Streets.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church (until 1872)
Central Pennsylvania Conference of
the Methodist Episcopal Church (after 1872)
Journal references:
1953,55 – church and parsonage reported
sold; conference vacates all interest
1954,129 – $ 59,749.38 from sale of church
and parsonage at 219 Emerald
– proceeds placed in special fund for a
new congregation (Harrisburg Calvary)
Brief
History:
In
May 1859, local preacher J.C. Young from Locust Street and some of the young
men from Vine Street organized a mission in the “Hardscrabble” neighborhood on
North Front Street, just south of Broad.
In 1860 the mission moved into a building at Front and Charles Street –
but it soon became obvious that a better location was needed. In 1861 the building of a structure on Ridge
Road was authorized. That frame building
was dedicated in March 1862 – on part of the burying ground owned by the Locust
Street [now Grace] Church. The property
was eventually deeded to the new congregation, and a brick church was erected
on the site in 1880.
In
1953, expansion of the capitol complex and changing demographics of the area
prompted the sale of the property to the Bethel A.M.E. congregation – and funds
from the sale were used to finance the building of the present Calvary UMC on
Locust Lane in suburban Harrisburg.
Final
disposition:
The
building continued to be a flagship A.M.E. church in the area, used for
conferences and special meetings, until it was destroyed by arson in November
1995. That A.M.E. congregation has since
purchased and now occupies the former Fifth Street Methodist Episcopal
Church. The property is now an empty
lot.
39. Harrisburg Riverside UMC
Address: 3200 N. Third Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Third Street runs parallel to and 3 blocks east of the Susquehanna River. The site is roughly 32 blocks north of Market
Street and the center of the city. The cross street is Lewis Street.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church (after 1919)
Brief
History:
This
congregation came into being May 1, 1907, when St. Mark’s appointed a board of
trustees who purchased three lots on the corner of Third and Lewis Streets for
a new church. The congregation met in
the Riverside School until their frame building was dedicated January 19,
1908. The congregation was formally
organized with 21 charter members on February 2, 1908. In April 1956, continued growth prompted the
congregation to vote unanimously to erect a new building. The old structure was demolished, and the
congregation met in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church until their building was opened
in November of that same year. The
Christian Education building was added in 1965.
In 2019, Riverside was one of the two (along with Twenty-ninth Street, which was originally United Brethren) that voted to join the city-wide Impact! Harrisburg project and is now part “The Journey UMC.” The Riverside building was sold to another congregation.
Final disposition:
40. Harrisburg Salem EA
[no picture]
Location: North Street [one source says “near Elder”??]
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association.
Journal references:
Brief History:
Evangelical work in Harrisburg began in
1849, and this congregation was formally organized about 1853 and worshiped in
the Sons of Temperance Hall (corner of Second and South Streets) before
erecting a one-story brick structure in 1862.
This congregation became a charter member of the Atlantic (German)
Conference and served by that conference from 1876 until it re-entered the East
Pennsylvania Conference in 1884 when it merged with its English-speaking
daughter congregation to erect the North Street building at North and Captial Streets.
Final disposition:
It appears this building was demolished to make
way for the 1886 North Street building
41. Harrisburg Shared Ministry UMC
[Harrisburg Park Street EV]
Address: 1509
Market Street
Municipality: city
of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference EV – Park Street UMC
m – Fourth UCC
Journal references:
2013,139 – discontinued
Brief History:
In 2002, Park Street UMC sold its building and began
worshiping with Fourth UCC in the latter’s building as the Harrisburg Shared
Ministry. In 2013 both congregations closed .
Final disposition:
The building is now (2025) the Community Connections Center of the
Shalom House ministries.
42. Harrisburg Sixth Street UB
Location: 2339 N. Sixth Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Sixth Street runs parallel to and 6 blocks east of the
Susquehanna River. From center city Harrisburg, go approximately 24 blocks north on Sixth Street
to Seneca Street. The building is on the
southeast corner of Sixth and Seneca Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
The congregation grew out of a Sunday School
that began in the summer of 1906 in the old Susquehanna School at Fifth and
Seneca Streets. A congregation was
formally organized in February 1907 with 40 charter members. The congregation continued to meet in the
school building until the present structure was dedicated in March 1913. In 1970 the Sixth Street congregation joined
with two former Methodist churches, Trinity and old Paxton, to form the new
Paxton United Methodist Church and erect their present structure on North
Progress Avenue.
Final disposition:
The
building was sold to the Macedonia Baptist Church.
43. Harrisburg Sixth Street UE
Location: 2544 N. Sixth Street
Municipality: city of Harrisbu6
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Sixth Street runs parallel to and 6 blocks east of the
Susquehanna River. From center city Harrisburg,
go approximately 26 blocks north on Sixth Street to Radnor Street. The building is on the southwest corner of
Sixth and Radnor Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church
Journal references:
1920,42 – ground broken
1921,75 – Sunday School building dedicated
Brief History:
This work began in 1918 as the “Faith
Mission United Evangelical Sunday School.”
The congregation was formally organized April 30 of that year with 37
members – 33 transferring from Harris Street and 4 transferring from Park
Street. The mission congregation broke
ground for their building on July 19, 1919, and dedicated the facility
September 19, 1920. The $18,000
structure was intended to be the Sunday School auditorium, but the projected
sanctuary (as was the case for Harrisburg Otterbein UB) was never erected. All the Harrisburg area churches were United
Evangelical and not Evangelical Association during the 1894-1922 denominational
split.. This was the only church in the city that
remained out of the 1922 re-merger to become Evangelical Congregational.
Final disposition:
The
Evangelical Congregational Church discontinued services here about 2020 and an
independent congregation now worships there.
44. Harrisburg St. Marks UMC
[Coxestown
ME]
Address: 3985 N. Second Street
Municipality: Susquehanna township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions: Second Street is cut off at I-81 and is not a through street in north Harrisburg. Go north on Front Street to Parkway Road, the first road north of the interchange with I-81. Go east one block on Parkway Road. The church is on the southeast corner of Parkway Road and Second Street.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
2019,168 – discontinued 7/1/2019
Brief History:
This congregation dates from 1835 when it
was the Coxestown appointment on Dauphin
circuit. The land for the original
building (pictured above at the right) was given by
the Cox family. The church stood near
the present location along River Road [Front Street] between the road and the
river. In 1896 the congregation acquired
a parsonage and became a separate charge.
In 1908, as Harrisburg expanded to the north towards Coxestown,
they established Harrisburg Riverside as a daughter congregation. Just before WWI, a larger building was
needed. The church was sawed in half,
the back part was moved 12-15 feet toward the river, and the gap was filled in
to match the front and back – causing the building to be known for years as the
“telescoped church.” The above picture at the right was taken after the enlargement.
In 1928 the state widened Front Street,
the old building was demolished, and the congregation erected a new structure
at the present location. Over time,
membership and attendance dwindled. The
congregation closed in 2019, with a service of disbanding on June 39, 2019.
Final disposition:
The property was sold 12/2/2019
to the Baptist Fellowship Church for $315,000.
45. Harrisburg St. Paul's UMC
Location: 118 Vine Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Front and Market Streets, go six blocks south on
Front Street to Vine Street (immediately after the railroad underpass). Go east on Vine
Street one block. The building is on the
north side of the street.
Historic Conference:
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
2006,S-62 – all members transferred out
Brief History:
This work was started by a group of young
men from Locust Street ME (the predecessor of Harrisburg Grace) who felt called
to minister in South Harrisburg. They
held Sunday School in an unopened barroom in the 300 block of South 2nd
Street and a meat shop before erecting a 40x58 frame church at the present
location. The present brick building was
dedicated 10/16/1898. The congregation struggled over
the years with floods and changing demographics. Deaconess work was transferred to the church
in 1913, and bout the same time a service for Slavic people held Sunday
afternoons. The Boys Club of Harrisburg
was started in the basement of the church in 1936 and continued there for five
years. The congregation was discontinued
in 2006.
Final disposition:
In 2006 the building was given to Harris Street UMC
to possible use as a community center, but that didn’t develop and the property
was sold to St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church in 2009. That congregation ultimately accepted a
better offer out of the flood plain at the former Memorial Lutheran Church at
17th and State Streets and put the property up for sale. The building was flooded again in 2011 and is
still (2025) vacant and for sale.
46. Harrisburg State Street UMC
Location: 1801 State Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1922,17 – ground broken for new church
building
1923,23 – cornerstone laid 10/15/1923
1924,22 – church building dedicated
1/6/1924
1986,304 – placed on a two-point charge
with Harrisburg First
1987,169 – served by part-time supply
1996,199 & 314 – discontinued &
declared abandoned
1997,315 – sold to McCullough Memorial
Church
Brief History:
This congregation began 11/10/1901 with a
meeting in a vacant store room on the southwest corner
of State and Lynn Streets and soon moved to the Public School
building at 20th and Forster Streets. The congregation was formally organized
4/13/1902 with 40 charter members. A
chapel at the present location was dedicated 1/17/1904 and two galleries were
added in 1909. Ground was broken for the
present sanctuary in 1922, with the original chapel converted into Sunday
School facilities, with dedication of the new facilities on 1/6/1924. Declining attendance and finances in the face
of changing demographics led to the work being discontinued in 1996.
Final disposition:
The building now houses the
McCullough Memorial Church of the Living God
47.
Harrisburg Stevens Emmanuel UMC
[Harrisburg Thirteenth Street ME]
[Harrisburg Stevens Memorial ME]
Location: 110 S. Thirteenth Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The church is on Thirteenth Street, one block north of
Derry Street. on the southeast corner of Thirteenth and Vernon Streets
Historic Conference:
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
1886,51 – formerly Grace
Mission, chartered 3/5/1886 as Thirteenth Street
1909,77 – B.F. Stevens Memorial church
dedicated 1/24/1909
2004,107 – Harrisburg Iglesia Emmanuel
renamed Stevens Emmanuel
2004,173 – Stevens Memorial discontinued
2013,149 – Stevens Emmanuel closed
7/1/2013
2014,191 – sold to True Word Church for
$55,000 9/18/2013
Brief History:
This congregation began as an outreach of
Harrisburg Grace meeting in the Mt. Pleasant schoolhouse at the corner of
Crescent and Mulberry. In 1873 William
Calder purchased the property at Thirteenth and Vernon Streets and resold it to
the “Allison Hill ME Church. The first
church building here was dedicated that year as Mount Pleasant,
and later re-named Thirteenth Street. The name Stevens Memorial was
adopted when the present sanctuary was dedicated in 1909. With 1403 members in
1920, Stevens Memorial hosted the annual conference and was the conference’s
largest membership church. In 2004 the building was
transferred to Stevens Emmanuel UMC, an Hispanic
ministry, and in 2013 the church was closed and the building sold.
Final disposition:
The building was sold to an independent church but
later became vacated.
48. Harrisburg Trinity Chapel EA
Location: Broad Street, corner of Fulton
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Broad Street is now Verbeke Street, which runs
east-west about 5 blocks north of Forster Street,. Fulton Street crosses Verbeke Street at the
east end of the Broad Street Market, which extends from Third Street to Sixth
Street. The site has been completely
reconfigured.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
Brief History:
The congregation was formed in 1874 by the
English-speaking members of Salem EA, and they erected a frame structure at
Broad and Fulton Streets in 1875. The
two congregations re-united in 1884 to erect North Street [aka Trinity]
EA. This cornerstone is now on the rear
of the educational wing of the Harris Street church.
Final disposition:
49. Harrisburg Trinity UMC
Location: 915 North Seventeenth Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The building is on the east side of 17th
Street, 4½ blocks north of State Street or 1½ blocks south of Herr Street and may reached from either of those major east-west streets
Historic Conference:
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
1970,93 – merged into Harrisburg Paxton
Brief History:
This congregation began in 1921 with a
nucleus of 13 members of Stevens Memorial who lived in the immediate area. The official charter was granted in 1922,
with 140 charter members. They
worshipped in the Fire House until the present building, begun in 1921, was
dedicated in 1923. In 1970, Trinity
merged with the Sixth Street (former United Brethren) and the old Paxton
(former Methodist) congregations to form the present Paxton UMC on N. Progress
Avenue.
Final disposition:
The property has been sold
to the Harris A.M.E. Zion congregation.
50. Harrisburg Twenty-Ninth Street UMC
Address: 750 S. Twenty-ninth Street
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Harrisburg, go east on Derry Street to 29th
Street. The building is on the northwest
corner of Derry and 29th Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Journal references:
1922,17 – Derry Street UB purchases lot at
29th & Derry for $8,000 to erect a chapel
1923,23 – cornerstone laid
8/26/1923
1924,22 – building dedicated 2/10/1924 –
without a congregation in place!
Brief History:
This congregation began as an unusual and
inspired project of Derry Street. A plot
of ground was purchased and a traditional church building erected and furnished
before a congregation was in place. The
building was dedicated 2/10/1924. On 2/17/24, assistant pastor at Derry Street
who was in charge of the project, organized a
congregation of 69 charter members – 28 were members of other United Brethren
churches, 22 were received on confession of faith, and the remaining 19 were
members of other denominations. The
building has undergone significant additions and renovations over the years,
and the present modern complex was dedicated 10/20/1968.
In 2019, Twenty-Ninth Street was one of the two (along
with Harrisburg Riverside, which was originally Methodist) that voted to join
the city-wide Impact! Harrisburg
project and is now part “The Journey UMC.”
Final disposition:
51. Heckton UMC
Location: North Front Street at Fort Hunter
Municipality: Middle Paxton township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The building originally stood between Front Street and
the Susquehanna River, just north of Fishing Creek. It has been moved onto the Fort Hunter
Mansion property, south of the mansion.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
2002,550 – all members removed
2003,288 – abandoned; sale pending
2004,279 – donated to Fort Hunter
Association
Brief History:
This property was originally deeded in 1885
as the Fishing Creek Methodist Episcopal Church. The congregation was formally organized by
Rev. William Powick in 1886 and a church built that
year. That building was destroyed by
fire in 1927 during the pastorate of Rev. William V. Middleton (who was elected
a bishop in 1960). The building was
rebuilt at the same location.
Final disposition:
After the building was removed and
relocated south of the Fort Hunter Manion, the site is now part of the
adjoining fishing/boating access to the Susquehanna River.
52. Highspire UMC
Address: 170 Second Street
Municipality: borough of Highspire
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Second Street is the main east-west street
in the borough. From the intersection of
Eisenhower Boulevard and Second Street, go 3 blocks east. The church is on the north side of the
street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Journal references:
1955,59 – complete rebuild of pipe organ
for $6,245
2025,162 – closed 11/7/2024
Brief History:
This congregation owes its existence to
Rev. Jacob Roop, a spiritual son of the noted John Neidig of Oberlin. A church house was erected on his land, the present
site, in December 1842 and on 7/26/1842 he deeded that property (and a lot for
a cemetery) to the congregation for $46.00.
The present structure was erected on the same site in 1896. In the face of declining membership and
finances, the congregation voted to close as of 11/7/2024.
Final disposition:
53. Hoernerstown SalemUB
Location: community of Hoernerstown
Municipality: South Hanover township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the square in Hummelstown, go north on N. Hanover
Street for ½ mile to S. Hoenerstown Road (immediately
after crossing the creek). Go west on S.
Hoernerstown Road for 1.5 miles to Union Deposit
Road. This is Hoernerstown.
The United Brethren Cemetery is at
the west end of town. Go ½ mile west on
Union Deposit Road, past where N. Hoernerstown Road
goes off to the north to the intersection with Pine Hill Road. The cemetery is on the south side of the road
in the Y formed by Union Deposit and Pine Hill Roads.
The United Brethren Church was
located at the east end of town, near where the house pictured above now
stands.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
The Hoernerstown appointment
appears on the Hummelstown circuit as early as 1849. Ground was purchased in 1862 and a church
building erected.
The appointment was discontinued about 1893 and
the members transferred to the Union Deposit church.
Final disposition:
54. Jacobs UMC
Address: 36 Jacobs Church Road, Powells Valley
Municipality: Wayne township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Halifax. Go south on PA 225 1 mile to
Powells Valley Road. Go east on Powells Valley Road 2.5 miles to Jacobs Church Road. Go south on Jacobs Church Road ¼ mile. The church is on the west side of the road.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Journal references:
2011,230 – discontinued
2014,191 – sold to Isaiah 61 ministries
Brief History:
Jacobs (along
with Carsonville Trinity, Union and Zion “Stone”) was one of 4 churches on the
original Powells Valley charge. Land was
purchased in 1861 and a one-story frame building was
erected in 1863. In 1922 two Sunday
School rooms were added to the rear of the structure. In 1934 Powells Valley and Enders combined
to make the United Brethren’s large rural 8-point Enders Powells Valley charge
that existed until the 1968 United Methodist Union.
In the face of declining attendance
and resources, the congregation voted to discontinue, and a final service was
held February 27, 2022.
Final disposition:
The church and cemetery were
sold 5/25/2013 for $5 to Isaiah 61 Ministries, who continue in ministry to the
valley.
55. Killinger Jacobs UMC
Location: Deibler Road
Municipality: Upper Paxton township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Millersburg, go east on PA 25 for 2.5 miles to
Deibler Road, in the community of Killinger.
Go north on Deibler Road for 100 yards.
The church is on the left.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
2003,288 – abandoned
2009,340 – sale pending
2014,191 – sold to Dennis and Georgine
Wert
Brief History:
This building was erected by the Jacob’s
congregation of the German Reformed Church in 1844. The United Brethren purchased the property in
1866. The name was changed to
Killinger’s in 1919 to distinguish it from the Jacob’s Church in Powell’s
Valley. Historically its affiliation has
gone back and forth between Millersburg and the Lykens Valley circuit.
Final disposition:
The property was sold in 2013 for a nominal fee to
the adjacent land owners, who had been mowing the
church and cemetery property since the church closed in 2002.
56. Linglestown ME
Location: N. Mountain Road
Municipality: borough of Linglestown
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the square
in Linglestown, go 1 block north on N. Mountain
Road. The building stood on the east
side of the road, directly across from the United Brethren [now Linglestown Life UMC] building.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
1892,77 – new Union Chapel erected in Linglestown
Brief History:
This congregation was organized in 1873,
Rev. Ephraim Potts being the first pastor.
It appears in the journal as a separate appointment for a few years, but then was apparently placed on a circuit. In 1892 it was one of four appointments on
the Manada and Paxton charge and reports having part ownership in a new Union
Chapel dedicated that year by Professor Fletcher Durell of Dickinson
College. The congregation is not listed
in Koch’s 1968 The Leaven of the Kingdom historical accounting of “all”
Philadelphia Conference churches.
note: The Union Chapel, built in
1891 as a place of worship for people of all denominations and was in use until
1931 when it was disbanded and became the first home for the Linglestown American Legion. It is not known how long the
Methodists supplied the chapel and what financial interests and/or ownership
they had in the building. In 1958 the
American Legion Post 272 transferred the chapel building to the Evangelical
United Brethren Church for the sum of $1. It was used as a chapel and housed
the Junior Department of the Children’s Sunday School until the present
education building was built.
Final disposition:
57. Lochiel ME
Location: community of Lochiel
Municipality: city of Harrisburg
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The community of Lochiel (between Harrisburg and
Steelton) no longer exists, its only remnant being the Lochiel Hotel at 901 Shanois Street. Exit
I-83 at 13th Street and go 2 block south to
Sycamore Street. Go 1 block west on
Sycamore Street to Bameron Street [PA 230].
Go one long block south on Cameron Street to Shanois
Street. Turn west onto Sahnois Street to
enter where the community of Lochiel used to be.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
When the Pennsylvania Steel Company was
formed in June 1865, William Calder and other Harrisburgers
raised the capital locate the company in what later became Steelton. Soon furnaces and communities sprang up in
the area. The congregation in Lochiel,
between Harrisburg and Steelton, began in 1868 as a Sunday School class as an
outreach of Harrisburg Grace. They
worshiped in a company building. In the
early 1870’s “Lochiel and Allison Hill” was a two-point charge with a parsonage
at Lochiel.
When the Lochiel furnace burned in
1872, the business was acquired by a Presbyterian, whoi
arranged for the services to be held by a clergyman of that denomination. Mr. and Mrs. William Calder and most of the
Lochiel members then transferred to the class meeting in the Mt. Pleasant
schoolhouse at Mulberry and Crescent Streets.
In 1873 William Calder purchased the property at Thirteenth and Vernon
Streets and resold it to the “Allison Hill ME Church” – which later became
Stevens Memorial.
Among the prized artifacts at the archives is
a communion set presented to the Lochiel Methodist Episcopal Church by Mrs.
William Calder September 13, 1868.
Final disposition:
58. Lykens EA
Location: 401 Market Street
Municipality: borough of Lykens
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the square in Lykens, go north 2 blocks on Market
Street. The building is on the southwest
corner of Market Street and North Second Street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference
of the Evangelical Association
Journal references:
1905,29 – permission to sell to School
Board and relocate
1908,30 – permission to sell; ½ for
parsonage at Wiconisco, ½ to Conference Sinking Fund
Brief History:
The class worshiped in the schoolhouse for
several years before erecting a building in 1873.
Final disposition:
59. Lykens Grace ME
Location: 326 Market Street
Municipality: borough of Lykens
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the square in Lykens, go north 2 blocks on Market
Street. The building is on the northeast
corner of Market Street and North Second Street.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church.
Journal references:
Eastern Conference EUB 1967, 155 – plans
for Methodist, EUB, UCC union
Central PA Conference 1970, 107 – merged
into Lykens Otterbein to form Lykens UMC
Brief History:
This congregation had its start in 1849, when
the pastor from Halifax came to hold a funeral service for the victims of a
mine fatality. The pastor was then asked
to preach there on a regular basis, and a atone church building (pictured above
at the right) was erected in 1851 at 628 N. 2nd Street. The original structure was replaced by the
existing building in 1868, which was significantly renovated in 1947. On the occasion of
the week-long 100th anniversary celebration of the congregation,
addresses were given by five bishops and the governor, James Duff, of
Pennsylvania. In 1970, the Lykens Grace
and UCC congregations merged into the Lykens Otterbein (former United Brethren)
congregation to create the present Lykens United Methodist Church. The former UCC building became the town
library.
Final disposition:
60. Lykens Christ UCC
Location: 601 N. 2nd Street
Municipality: borough of Lykens
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the square in Lykens, go north 2 blocks on Market Street to N. 2nd Street. Go west ½ block on North 2nd
Street. The building is on the north
side of the street.
Historic Conference:
Journal references:
Eastern Conference EUB 1967, 155 – plans
for Methodist, EUB, UCC union
Brief History:
This UCC congregation was dwindling and
opted to join with Grace (former Methodist) and Otterbein (former UB/EUB) in
1970 to form the Lykens UMC meeting in the former Otterbein building.
Final disposition:
This building became the town library until a new
facility was built at 983 Main Street.
It is now known as the Baker Memorial Building.
61. Manada Furnace ME
Location: 545 Ridge Road
Municipality: East Hanover township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Fort Hunter, on the Susquehanna River north of
Harrisburg, go 11 miles east on PA 443 [Fishing Creek Valley Road] to the
village of Manada Gap. At Manada Gap PA 443
becomes Mountain Road. Continue on PA 443 [Mountain Road] 0.5 miles to Manda Gap
Road, at which point PA 443 bears left.
Continue straight onto Manada Gap Road for 0.5 miles to its terminus at
Ridge Road. The church is on the left,
and the cemetery is on the right.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
The Manada Furnace was built near Manada Gap
in 1836. This building appears in the 1875
county atlas and in Egle’s 1883 county history, but it is strangely absent from
Koch’s supposedly comprehensive 1968 The Leaven of the Kingdom
accounting of all Philadelphia Conference church buildings. By the 1930’s was no longer regularly served
– and various groups and/or pastors would hold occasional services. In 1946 the United Christian denomination
began holding Sunday School in the building and expressed an interest in
purchasing the property – which happened 4/13/1949. Three unknown Confederate soldiers are buried
in the cemetery. They are believed to
have been prisoners taken after the battle of Gettysburg who were kept at Camp
Curtin, released to work at Manada Furnace, and killed in a furnace explosion.
Final disposition:
The building is now the Manada United Christian
Church. The United Christian Church is a
small denomination that separated from the United Brethren Church in 1869.
62. Manada Hill UMC
Location: PA 39 and Jonestown Road
Municipality: West Hanover township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the interchange of I-81 and PA 39, go 100 yards
southeast on PA 39 to Jonestown Road.
The church stood on the northwest corner of PA39 and Jonestown Road.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1909,10 – building erected at cost of
$1,000
1953,79 – permission to excavate basement,
move building and add a wing
1954,50 – authorized to make land exchange
with adjacent Manada Hill Market
1955,42 – $11,667.56 renovation of church,
addition
1989,218 – becomes an extended ministry of
Mt. Calvary
2004,173 – discontinued
2005,365; 2006,338; 2007,329 – sale
pending
2008,322 – sold
Brief History:
This congregation grew out of Union Sunday
School which met in a mill – about ½ mile east, where the Jonestown
road crosses Manada creek. A
United Brethren appointment was organized in 1904 and added to Grantville
circuit. In 1909 the Pleasant Grove
Union Chapel in Fishing Creek Valley was dismantled and moved to the present
site. In 1954 the building was moved to
a new foundation on the center of the lot, a wing was
added on the south, and a basement was placed under
the entire structure. Over the years the
membership gradually dwindled and a closing service
and celebration of ministry was held November 23, 2003.
Final disposition:
The property was sold 12/19/2007 to Charles W. Hash , Jr. for $186,100.
63. Mandata EV
[no picture]
Location:
Municipality:
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
Journal references:
Brief History:
Final disposition:
64. Matamoras ME
[no picture]
Location: village of Matamoras
Municipality: Halifax township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
Egle’s 1883 History of Dauphin County, page
482, states that the village of Matamoras in Halifax township contains three
churches: “Church of God, United Brethren and Methodist Episcopal, the latter
supplied by the Halifax pastor.” The
1875 county atlas shows only a Church of God in the village.
Final disposition:
65. Matamoras UB
[no picture]
Location: village of Matamoras
Municipality: Halifax township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church.
Journal references:
Brief History:
Egle’s 1883 History of Dauphin County, page 482, states that the village
of Matamoras in Halifax township contains three churches: “Church of God,
United Brethren and Methodist Episcopal, the latter supplied by the Halifax
pastor.” The 1875 county atlas shows
only a Church of God in the village.
Final disposition:
66. Middletown New Thing UMC
Address: 2285 W. Harrisburg Pike
Municipality: Lower Swatara township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Harrisburg Pike is PA 230. From the Harrisburg International Airport, go
¼ mile west on PA 230. The site is on
the north side of the highway, 40 yards before the intersection with White
House Lane. White House Lane marks the
east edge of the borough of Highspire. At which point Harrisburg Pike becomes
Second Street.
Historic Conference:
Susquehanna Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Journal references:
2013,148 – chartered 7/1/2013
2020,179 – closed 1/1/2020
Brief History:
This was an experimental coffee house
church in a rented store front in a strip small. The ministry did not meet expectations.
Final disposition:
67. Middletown Riverside Chapel UMC
Address: 620 S. Union Street
Municipality: borough of Middletown
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the square (Main
Street & Union Street [PA 441]) in Middletown, go 1.5 miles south of Union
Street. The church is on the east side
of the street, the first building past the Fire Station.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This facility had its beginning in 1854 a Union Sunday School meeting in a public
school building at Ann and Wood Streets.
When the Methodist members erected a building on Ann Street, the
remaining members eventually located at the present site. It was a union school, but
always sensing a need for a formal affiliation.
In 1884, the majority of the constituents were Methodists and it was decided to formally come under the
auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Middletown Methodist
Episcopal Church on Ann Street. It
remained the “Riverside Chapel of Wesley United Methodist Church” until amid
congregational problems it separated from Wesley Chapel in 2012.
Final disposition:
The independent congregation meeting there
is called New Beginnings.
68. Middletown Wesley UMC
Address: 64 Ann Street
Municipality: borough of Middletown
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
2025,162 – closed 7/19/2024
Brief History:
Middletown, so-called between it is
half-way between Lancaster and Carlisle, is said to be the oldest town in
Dauphin County
Final disposition:
69. Millersburg EV
Location: 288 Moore Street
Municipality:
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the square in Millersburg, go 3 blocks north on
PA 147 [Market Street] to Moore Street.
Go 2 blocks east on Moore Street. The building is on the south side of the
street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania
Conference of the Evangelical Association
Journal references:
1897,20 – permission to borrow money, collect
on Williamsport District, purchase a lot, and erect a chapel
1905,31 – work abandoned, Church Building
Society mortgage needs to be addressed
1906,32 – “whole matter” referred to
Litigation Committee
1907,31 – permission to sell parsonage;
proceeds to pay litigation and purchase parsonage in Elizabethville
Brief History:
This building was erected by the Evangelical
Association after they had initially “given up” in Millersburg and sold their
original structure to the United Evangelicals.
The congregation did not survive to the 1922
denominational re-union.
Final disposition:
The building was sold to the Pilgrim Holiness
Church before 1922 and is now (2026) a dance studio.
70. Motter's ME
Motter's [aka Matter’s] UB
Location: US 209
Municipality: Washington township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The property is on US 209, 0.75 miles east of
Elizabethville, on the north side of the highway.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren Church
Journal references:
East PA Conference 1916,19 – trustees
elected to dispose of the Matter property
East PA Conference 1920,5 – proceeds from
sale of building and contents to Elizabethville for endowment for upkeep of the
Matter cemetery
Eastern Conference 1967,295 – Matter
cemetery fund
Brief History:
This is believed to be the site at
which the first Methodist building in upper Dauphin County was erected in
1814. Henry Kuntzelman Sr, a German-speaking Methodist local
preacher, was the owner of the land. In 1834 he deeded the property to
trustees [John Motter Jr, Isaac Motter, Henry Kuntzelman Jr] "legally
elected and appointed by the Methodists and United Brethren congregations in
union." In 1863 the United Brethren purchased a lot adjoining this
property to the west and erected a separate building. Eventually both
congregations relocated to the Elizabethville-Cross Roads
[aka Washington Square] area, the Methodists in 1871 and the united Brethren in
1873, and preaching was discontinued at the Motter locations.
Final disposition:
The United Brethren sold their building in 1919 for
$250, minus the bell and the stoves, and the funds were turned over to the
Elizabethville congregation for upkeep of the cemetery.
71. Oakdale ME
[Loyalton ME]
Location: Rakers Mill Road
Municipality: Washington township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the town of Loyalton, go west 0.6 miles on US 209
to Rakers Mill Road. Go north 100 yards
on Rakers Mill Road. The site is on the
right.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
In 1870 the Millersburg ME circuit had a
parsonage at Millersburg and 4 enduring appointments: Millersburg, Berrysburg, Oakdale (Loyalton) and Cross
Roads (Washington Square/Elizabethville). A frame church was built in 1852, mainly to
serve workers of the nearby iron works located along Wiconisco
Creek. When the iron works were
partially destroyed by a flash flood about 1870, most of the workers moved away
and the church never recovered. By 1883
there was no longer regular preaching.
There was also an Oakdale Academy
about ½ mile south of Loyalton with ties to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Final disposition:
72. Oakdale Zion EV
Location: Rakers Mill Road
Municipality: Washington township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the town of Loyalton, go west 0.6 miles on US 209
to Rakers Mill Road. Go north 1 mile on Rakers Mill Road.
The site is on the left.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
Eastern Conference EUB 1969, 124 –
discontinued as of 7/1/1969; assets to conference trustees and members to
Elizabethville Trinity
Brief History:
This congregation began as people met for
prayer meetings in private homes in the area.
The church building was dedicated on Christmas Day, 1859. By 1895, the building was showing its age and the area population was concentrated at Loyalton
rather than Oakdale. In 1897 an
Evangelical Association church was erected at Loyalton, and Zion became the
“weaker sister.” In 1969 the Zion
congregation of 23 members merged into Loyalton Immamuel,
and their bell is mounted in front of that church building.
Final disposition:
In 1973 the property was sold to the Maple Grove
Cemetery Association.
73.
Paxton ME (Susquehanna twp)
Location: Paxton Church Road
Municipality: Susquehanna township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the Harrisburg interchange of I-81 with Progress Avenue,
go north 1 mile on Progress Avenue to Paxton Church Road. Go west 1 mile on
Paxton Church Road. The building is on
the left.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
Central PA Conference 1970, 93 – received
the members of Harrisburg Trinity and 6th Street
Central PA Conference 1974, 89 – relocated
to 3550 Progress Avenue
Brief History:
This structure was erected in 1860 by local
Methodists who organized a society, purchased ground and constructed the
building with mostly volunteered materials and
labor. In 1970, this rural but fastly becoming suburban congregation received the members
of Harrisburg Trinity (former Methodist) and Harrisburg Sixth Street (former
United Brethren) and erected a new building on Progress Avenue, just north of
Paxton Church Road, which they occupied in 1974.
Final disposition:
The building now houses and independent
congregation.
74.
Paxton ME (Upper Paxton twp)
Address: 5298 PA-147, village of Paxton [present site]
Municipality: Upper Paxton township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Millersburg, go 4.5 miles north on PA
147 to the community of Paxton. The
present site is on the east side of the highway, 2 lots north of the
intersection of PA 147 with River/Paxton Drive.
The 1875 county atlas shows the “English Methodist Church” in what is
now the middle of PA 147, on the north side of River/Paxton Drive.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
The history of this building/congregation is sketchy. It does not appear in Egle’s 1883 History
of Dauphin County, in
the supposedly complete list of buildings in Koch’s 1968 The Leaven of the
Kingdom account of
the 1767-1968 Philadelphia Conference, or any official Methodist records that
have been located. It was most probably
a Sunday School extension of the ministry in Millersburg. The building pictured above has been replaced
by the modern Paxton Bible Church. This
is what that congregation’s history states:
“The
original church at Paxton was built in the year 1872 and was called the English
Methodist Church. This church was part
of the Methodist Episcopal denomination… The building was in the care of the
Methodist Church of Millersburg… Around
1932 the present highway (Route 147) through Paxton was constructed and it was
found necessary to move the church. The
Methodist denomination wanted to dispose of the church. It was then the people of Paxton purchased a
lot to the east side of the highway and north a few hundred feet north of the
original location for the sum of $50.00
The building was deeded over to the people of Paxton for the sum of
$1.00 The foundation for the church and
the moving of the building was accomplished by the highway contractor.”
The present building was erected at the rear of the lot in 1960, at
which time the old frame building was razed to make way for the present parking
lot.
Final disposition:
The site is now home to the Paxton Bible
Church.
75. Penbrook Grace UMC
Address: 25 S. Twenty-eighth Street
Municipality: borough of Penbrook
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The building is on the southwest corner of
Walnut and Twenty-eighth Streets.
Proceed east from the capitol complex by crossing the
State Street Bridge and following the main traffic. At 21st Street, State Street in
Harrisburg becomes Walnut Street in Penbrook. Go 7 more blocks to 28th Street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Journal references:
1923,23 – new building
dedicated 9/9/1923
2019,167 – closed 1/1/2019
Brief History:
This congregation occupied four different church
buildings. It began with a group meeting
in the home of John Raysor who obtained land in 1838 and erected a building in
1844 on a triangular lot at the intersection of Union Deposit Road and Wood
Street, across from the Susquehanna Township Middle School. A cemetery remains to mark the location.
In 1882 the congregation moved to the growing town of Grantville (now Penbrook) and dedicated a frame building there, across from
the present structure, on 2/19/1882.
When that building proved to be inadequate for the growing congregation,
they purchased additional land and dedicated a larger structure just eight
years later on 12/14/1890.
The present sanctuary was dedicated 9/10/1923. The large Christian Education addition was
dedicated 4/20/1969, at which time the membership was 750 and growing. In the face of shrinking membership and
rising costs, the congregation voted to close, and a final service was held
12/30/2018.
Final disposition:
76. Penbrook Trinity UMC
Address: 3 N. Twenty-fifth Street
Municipality: borough of Penbrook
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The building is on the southeast corner of Canby and
Twenty-fifth Streets. Proceed east from
the capitol complex by crossing the State Street
Bridge and following the main traffic.
At 21st Street, State Street in Harrisburg becomes Walnut
Street in Penbrook.
Go 4 more blocks to Canby Street (a “diagonal” street). Turn northeast onto Canby Street and go one
block. The church is on the southeast
corner.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the
Evangelical Church
Journal references:
2019,168 – discontinued 7/1/2019
Brief History:
In 1905, Rev. William S. Harris of the Park Street
church noticed there were a growing number of Evangelical people living in the Penbrook area and after preliminary investigations, land
was purchased and the present church building was dedicated 4/14/1907 by Bishop
Maze – with most of the 100 members coming from Park Street and other area
Evangelical congregations. In 1951,
major reconstruction/remodeling occurred that included the addition of the
fellowship hall. In the face of shrinking
membership and rising costs, the congregation voted to close, and a final
service was held 6/30/2019.
Final disposition:
77. Peters Mountain EV
Location: PA 325
Municipality: Rush township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The building stood about 1 mile south of Tower City at
the foot of Peter’s Mountain on the north side of PA 325. There is reportedly still a graveyard at the
site. The 1875 Dauphin County atlas
indicates a church/cemetery in Rush township on the north side of the
road. There is a “Whittall Graveyard,
McAllister Cemetery” on Teabury Lane, off PA 325 to
the north, which appears to be the only cemetery in the township – this may or
may not be the site.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
Brief History:
This was a small log and frame
building. The property was reportedly
sold to a Mr. Reuben Berger, and in 1872 the congregation built the Evangelical
church in Tower City.
Final disposition:
78. Pillow EA
Location: 155 S. Union Street
Municipality: borough of Pillow
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Union Street is the old road from Berrysburg
that passes through the square.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
1905,31 – receive ½ proceeds from sale of
Herndon church
1924,126 – parsonage sold, funds to remodel
this “old Evangelical landmark”
Brief History:
The appointment was discontinued in 1934.
Final disposition:
The building now houses a congregation of the
God’s Missionary Church denomination, which purchased the property about 1934
for $900 – after renting the former United Brethren building two blocks to the
east.
79. Pillow UE
Location: Market Street
Municipality: borough of Pillow
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
This site was a few lots east of the square on the
north side of the street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
Final disposition:
This became an Evangelical Congregational
church after the 1922 re-merger and was active into the 1970’s. The building is no longer standing.
80. Pillow UB
Location: S. Chestnut Street
Municipality: borough of Pillow
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Chestnut Street is PA 225. The site is 1.5 blocks south of Market Street
on the west side of the street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1973,204 – sold to John L. Reed for $400
[not completed]
1975,119 – sold to John L. Reed for $1100
Brief History:
This property was purchased June 15,
1848. A church building was erected that
year and replaced by a new structure in 1886.
In 1873 the appointment was placed on the Lykens Valley Circuit – where
it was still list, but with no statistics, at late as 1921. See Gibble’s 1951 History of the East Pennsylvania Conference, page 270, for more
details.
The building was used by the United
Brethren until the late 1920’s. About
1930 it was rented to Rev. William Straub and Rev. Daniel W, Dubendorf for
holiness meetings that led to the formation of the God’s Missionary Church
denomination – and they later purchased the old Evangelical Association
building two blocks to the west. In 1952
the building was moved to a rural location and “shortened” from its original
height. The Conference continued owning
the lot until the 1970’s. There are
tombstones flattened into the ground at the rear of the property.
Final disposition:
The intended 1973 sale of the property was
never carried out because the Conference could not locate a clear deed. The Reeds lived on the south side of the
property. The neighbor on the north side
of the property located the deed and then offered $1000 for the lot. The Reeds, as the original persons
interested in the property, then offered $1100 and the sale was completed.
81. Raysors UB
Location: Union Deposit Road
Municipality: Susquehanna township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The site is the triangular plot of land across from
the Susquehanna Township Middle School.
It is one block east of the intersection of Progress Avenue and Union
Deposit Road
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This class, which first appears in the
journals in 1849, is believed to have begun as early as 1839 – meeting in the
home of its founder Rev. John Raysor (1789-1850), who was admitted to conference in 1838.
In 1852, two years after Raysor’s death, the class erected a building at
this site. The cemetery remains.
When the population grew in East
Harrisburg (aka Grantville, nor Penbrook), the majority of the class members purchased a lot on the Jonestown Road, near 28th Street and dedicated
a frame building 2/19/1882. That became
the Penbrook Grace congregation. Part of the Raysor membership continued to
worship in the old building, served by the pastor from Penbrook
until 1892, when they officially merged into Penbrook.
Final disposition:
82. Reigles [aka Riegles] EV
[no picture]
Location: PA 25
Municipality: Upper Paxton township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
The church stood on PA 25, 3.5 miles west of Berrysburg, on the north side of the road, immediately
(i.e. within yards) after crossing from Mifflin to Upper Paxton township. The 1872 county atlas shows the exact
location.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Church.
Journal references:
Brief History:
This was a frame building supplied by the
pastor from Berrysburg – very close to, but distinct
from, the brick UB buildings at Reigles.
Final disposition:
83. Reigles [aka Riegles] UB
Location: 158 Reigles Church Road
Municipality: Mifflin township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Reigles Church Road is a small loop off PA 25, 3 miles
west of Berrysburg, that was bypassed when the toad
was straightened. The church is on the
north side of the road.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1909, 10 – building erected at a cost of
$5000
1910,7 – new church built and dedicated at
Riegel’s [sic] on the Lykens circuit
1991,222/337 – abandoned
1999,330 – sold
Brief History:
This land was purchased by the United Brethren,
for the purpose of erecting a church building, from Benjamin and Catherine
Reigle on August 4, 1844. That first structure was razed
and replaced by the present larger edifice in 1909. Arthur S. Lehman
(1878-1936) and Walter E. Diebler (1895-1976) are ministerial sons of this
congregation.
Final disposition:
The property was sold in 1998 to Amos Lapp
for $45000 and is now home to the Reigles Bible Fellowship congregation.
84. Rockville ME
Location: community of Rockville
Municipality: Susquehanna township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
Egle’s 1883 History of Dauphin County,
page 409, states that Rockville “has two churches, the Methodist Episcopal,
connected with the Dauphin Circuit, and a United Brethren.” Nothing more is known about this church. The 1875 county atlas shows the United
Brethren church and another large structure (1/2 block and ½ block west, by the
RR) that appears to be labeled “church”.
Koch’s 1968 The Leaven of the Kingdom that supposedly lists all
Philadelphia Conference ME buildings from 1767 tom 1968 does not list a
building in Rockville.
Final disposition:
85. Royalton Emmanuel UMC
Address: 500 Penn Street
Municipality: borough of Royalton
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This congregation began in 1873 as a group
of believers meeting in the home of John Mathias. The group was formally organized 2/22/1874 by
Rev. H.C. Phillips and 1874-75 erected a 20x40 wooden chapel on the site of the
present structure. In 1875 the
congregation was formally received into the East German Conference. In 1887 20 feet were added to the stricture which was then known as the Chapel on Furnace
Hill, Furnace Hill being the name for Upper Royalton. The wooden building was replaced by a brick
structure in 1893. The preent building was dedicated 5/7/1972 by Bishop Hermann W.
Kaebnick, assisted by district superintendent J. Paul
Yalpr and pastor Robert C. Trego.
In the face of declining attendance and finances, the congregation voted
to close. A service of leave-taking and
decommissioning was held at 1 PM on Sunday afternoon 12/2/2018.
Final disposition:
86. Rutherford Christ UMC
Address: 6570 Mifflin Avenue, community of Rutherford Heights
Municipality: Swatara township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Go east out of Harrisburg on Derry Street to 67th Street. Go north on 67th
Street about 9 blocks (through a round-about and
through a jog to the west at Evelyn Street) to Mifflin Avenue. Go 1.5 blocks east on Mifflin Avenue. The church is on the north side of the
street.
Historic Conference:
Central Pennsylvania Conference of the
Methodist Church
Journal references:
2007,219 – merged into Colonial Park, which
was then re-named Harrisburg CrossPoint
Brief History:
This congregation was
organized as a Methodist congregation in 1964 by Harold E. Millard as Christ
Church. In 2007 the property became part
of the multi-site CrossPoint church. When the multi-site vision was not
sustainable, the property was sold.
Final disposition:
The property was sold May 20,
2021, for $225,000 to the Bhutanese Nepali Evangelical Church.
87. Rutherford Heights Trinity UE
Location: 165 N.
67th Street, community of Rutherford Heights
Municipality: Swatara township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Go east out of Harrisburg on
Derry Street to 67th Street.
Go 2 block north on 67th
Street to Huntingdon Street. The
building is on the southeast corner of 67th and Huntingdon Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania of the United Evangelical Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
The work here began in 1908 when
area residents gathered together to form a Sunday
School. In 1909 they agreed to become a
United Evangelical church. This
congregation remained out of the 1922 denominational reunion and became part of
the Evangelical Congregational denomination, known today as Trinity Evangelical
Congregational Church.
Final disposition:
88. St. Paul’s UB (East Hanover township)
Location: McLean Road
Municipality: East Hanover township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Leave Harrisburg on I-81 and go east to exit 77,
PA-39. Go south on PA-39 ½ mile to
Jonestown Road. Go east on Jonestown Road 5.5 miles to Manada Bottom Road. Go north on Manada Bottom Road 3.5 miles to
the village of Manada Gap. Go north on
PA 443 ½ mile to McLean Road. Go east on McLean Road 3.5 miles. The site is on the north side of the highway.
Note: Road names and general
navigation within Fort Indiantown Gap are confusing. The GPS coordinates of the site are
40.42892, -76.67132.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania
Conference of the United Brethren Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
When organized 1/10/1875, the class was known
as “Neidig’s Fishing Creek Class.” Jacob
Capp and his wife Mary sold the group about one acre of land for $15 and the 24x32 frame church building was built about
1876. The trustees were Daniel Neidig,
Henry Neidig and Christian Capp. An
active organization was maintained until 1931, when the area began being
depopulated. Membership dwindled until
there were only 6 members left in 1932.
A large number attended the October 16, 1932
closing service
Final disposition:
The property was sold to the state and is now
within the Fort Indiantown Gap Military Reservation.
89. St. Paul’s UB (Jackson township)
Location: near community of Dietrich
Municipality: Jackson township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Northeast of Jacksonville [Enders], near the base of
Berry’s mountain. The 1875 countyatlas gives the exact location.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
Eastern Conference 1967, 161 –
permission to discontinue
Eastern Conference 1969, 124 –
discontinued as of 7/1/1969; assets to conference trustees and members to
Ender’s Powell’s Valley charge
Central Pennsylvania Conference
1969,124 – discontinued
1971,185 - sold
Brief History:
This building was formerly known as Deitrich’s
because it stands on a parcel of ground sold by Isaac F. Deitrich to the
congregation’s trustees on 10/1/1873 for $75.00. The church building was erected in 1874 under
Rev. John D. Gillian. It was on the
Jacksonville charge 1874-1919, and then placed on the
Enders charge. St. Paul’s (along with
Enders Salem, Halifax Ebenezer and Fisherville Grace) was one of 4 churches on
the original Enders charge. In 1934 Enders
and Powells Valley combined to make the United Brethren’s large rural 8-point Enders
Powells Valley charge that existed until the 1968 United Methodist Union.
Final disposition:
The property was sold in 1971 to Elsie P.
Harman for $1600 and is now a private residence.
90. Shellsville EV
Location: Jonestown Road, village of Shellsville
Municipality: East Hanover township.
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Shellsville is a village of
Jonestown Road, which runs parallel to and just south of I-81, about halfway
between Mana Hill (exit 77) and Grandville (exit 80). The 1875 county atlas places the building on
the north side of the road, the final structure in Earleysville
(Shellsville) on the road to Grantville
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
1900,21 – permission to sell
Brief History:
Shellsville was
originally called Earleysville, from the large number
of Earleys living near the village. According to both Egle's 1883
and Kelker's 1907 county histories, the community had an Evangelical church
building. The latter history is known to have reproduced much of the former,
however, and apparently did so here without verification. It was served by
circuits extending from Lebanon county and appears to have been a belated
victim of the 1894 split. The 1900 conference journal states, “Whereas the
members, two in number, of Shellsville church have
offered to transfer their property to the Conference, and that they will
acquiesce in such disposition as this Conference will authorize; therefore,
Resolved, That the Litigation Committee be authorized to sell said property,
and apply the proceeds to the liquidation of the debt on our unfortunate
Annville church, and the residue flow into the Church Building
Society.”
Final disposition:
91. Shopes UMC
Address: 2737 Waltonville Road
Municipality: Derry township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the Hummelstown “eastern interchange”
with US 322, so south on Waltonville Road 2.5 miles
to Shopes Church Road. The church is on the northeast corner of Waltonville Road and Shopes
Church Road.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This congregation began about 1857 as the
Round Top class on the Hummelstown circuit.
Henry Shope (1821-1901) received a quarterly conference license in 1858
and was the primary leader of the group.
The present chapel was erected in 1874 on ½ acre of land sold to the
congregation by Henry and Magdalena Shope.
In 1951 Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Hocker deeded an additional 1.6 acres to
the church, and the 1951 conference history reports the church as having 65
members and a Sunday School enrollment of 111.
Due to dwindling membership and attendance, the congregation voted to
close in 2025, and the final service was held 7/13/2025.
Final disposition:
92. South Hanover Campus: The Perking Point
CrossPoint
UMC
Address: 257 Hershey Road
Municipality: South Hanover township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
Susquehanna Conference of the United
Methodist Church
Brief History:
Final disposition:
93. Steelton First UMC
Location: 300 Pine Street
Municipality: borough of Steelton
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Exit Harrisburg
going South on Cameron Street [PA 230].
From the intersection of Cameron and Paxton Streets [PA 230 & PA
441] go south on Cameron Street [PA 230] about 3 miles into the borough of
Steelton, where it becomes Front Street.
Turn east onto Pine Street (just before the Turkey Hill on the right)
and go 4 blocks. The building is on the
southeast corner of 4th and Pine Streets.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Church
Journal references:
1977,196 – placed on a charge with
Steelton Grace (former EV)
1993,218 – merged into Steelton Centenary
(former (UB)
1994,350 – building sold to Grace Temple
Church of God
Brief History:
This congregation was organized by the
members of Vine Street [Harrisburg St. Paul’s] in 1867 and the
community/appointment was known as Baldwin.
Worship was held in the large dining room of the General Boarding House
until a one-story church building was completed in 1869 between the canal and
the Pennsylvania Railroad on land leased from the Pennsylvania Steel
Company. In 1877 the steel company wanted
the land and paid to move the structure to Front and Pine Streets, where it was
used to form the second floor of a two-story building. The present building at 4th and
Pine Streets was dedicated by Bishop Joseph Berry on April 27, 1913.
Final disposition:
The building currently houses Grace Temple Church
of the Living God, an independent Pentecostal church.
94. Steelton Grace UMC
Location: 219 Locust Street
Municipality: borough of Steelton
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Locust Street runs perpendicular to the river between
Pine Street and Walnut Streets, but it is not a through
street. From Front and Pine
Streets, go 3 blocks east on Pine Street to 4th
Street. Go 1 block south on 4th Street to Locust Street. Go ½ block west on Locust Street. The church is on the north side of the
street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical Church
Journal references:
1995,220/334 – merged into
Steelton Centenary/entered discontinued list
1996,315 – sold to AME denomination
Brief History:
Kelker’s 1907 History of Dauphin County, page 225, states that the United
Evangelical congregation here “worships is a frame structure erected several
years ago.” Apparently
the congregation split over disagreements about the 1922 re-merger of the
United Evangelical Church and Evangelical Association, and each group went its
own way. Those joining re-merger erected
this building in 1923 and became Grace Evangelical Church. In 1995, Grace merged into Steelton Centenary
(former United Brethren).
Final disposition:
This building was sold to the Abba AME Zion
congregation in 1995 for $4000.
95. Union UB
Location: 1 Union Church Road
Municipality: Wayne township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From Halifax. Go south on PA 225 1 mile to Powells Valley Road. Go east on Powells Valley Road 5.5 miles,
through Enterline, to Union Church Road (the 2200 “block” of Powells Valley
Road). The building is on the southeast
corner of Powells Valley Road and Union Church Road.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1996,198 –merged into Fisherville Grace to form
Faith UMC
Brief History:
The first people to worship on this site were
Methodists. As early as 1842, they
bought ½ acre of ground and erected a small frame building known as “Trinity
Church/” The
United Brethren class worshipped in this building for some time before
purchasing it. In 1890 John Sheetz and
William Lodge, surviving trustees of the M.E. Church, at
the direction of the presiding elder of that denomination, dols the property
for $1 to United Brethren trustees Philip G. Shoop, William Shoop, John Enders,
Amos Sponsler and George Kaker.
Curiously, the cornerstone on the building reads 1892 – a newer
building?
Union (along with Carsonville
Trinity, Jacobs and Zion “Stone”) was one of 4 churches on the original Powells
Valley charge. In 1934 Powells Valley
and Enders combined to make the United Brethren’s large rural 8-point Enders
Powells Valley charge that existed until the 1968 United Methodist Union. In 1996 Halifax Ebenezer, Enders Salem and
Powells Valley Union merged into Fisherville Grace (the lone remaining
congregation from the original Enders charge) to form Fisherville Faith.
Final disposition:
In 1999 three separate properties, the church and
the cemetery and the parking , were deeded to the
Cemetery Association for $1 each. In
2025, the sign above the doors reads “Pentecostal Pilgrims and Strangers”
96. West Steelton UB
[no picture]
Location: ?
Municipality: ?
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1889 (Feb), 42 – a lot was purchased in West Steelton for
$900.
Brief History:
In 1885, a mission Sunday School was
organized by Steelton Centenary, meeting in Rheeling’s
Hall in West Steelton. In 1886, the
conference authorized that a mission station be established in West Steelton,
but it failed to make a pastoral appointment.
In 1889 the Conference Mission Society purchased a lot, paying $200 on
the $900 purchase price, “with a view to build a chapel whenever circumstances
will favor such an enterprise.” As there
are no further conference records concerning this venture, it is assumed that
the project was dropped.
The locations of Rheeling’s
Hall and/or the UB property are not known – but there was a section in the low
land west of Steelton called Ewington that was annexed into Steelton in 1882,
and one of the petitioners for the annexation was a Mr. C.F. Rheeling who kept a general merchandise store.
Final disposition:
97. Wiconisco Grace UE
Location: 505 Pottsville Street, town of Wiconisco
Municipality: Wiconisco township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
After the 1894 split in the Evangelical
Association, the United Evangelicals eventually formed their own congregations
of Williamstown Ebenezer, Wiconisco Grace and Dayton
St. Paul's. These churches remained outside the 1922 re-union and became part
of the Evangelical Congregational denomination.
In Wiconisco the EC congregation has relocated
and is now Faith Evangelical Congregational Church at 543 Center Street.
Final disposition:
98. Wiconisco Wesley UMC
Address: 329 Pottsville Street, town of Wiconisco
Municipality: Wiconisco township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Both Williamstown and Wiconisco
are on Pottsville Street, which runs parallel to and slightly north of US 209
from Tower City to Lykens.
Coming from the east: From the west end of Tower City, veer right onto
Pottsville Street (Williamstown 3, Wiconisco 5). The Churcu is on
the southg side of the street.
Coming from the west: At the
center of Lykens at Main Street (Us 209) and Market Street, go north on Market
Street 10 blocks to the T with Pottsville Street. Go east on Pottsville
Street into Wiconsico. The church is on the south side of the
street.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This congregation traces its beginnings to
1833, when a young man was killed in the mines and there was no church in the
village. A Mr. Richard Nolen secured the
Methodist pastor from Halifax to preach the funeral sermon, and then he in turn
was persuaded by the citizens to start a prayer meeting in the village. In 1841 a class was formally organized, and
in 1853 a building known as “Miners Chapel” was erected. The Sunday School annex was completed in
1886, and the present sanctuary replaced the original one in 1914.
On December 29, 2019, Wesley UMC of Wiconisco
merged into Immanuel UMC of Loyalton to form the Loyalton Immanuel/Wesley UMC.
Final disposition:
99. Williamstown UMC
Address: 203 N. East Street
Municipality: borough of Williamstown
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Exit Tower City heading west on US
209. At the west end of Tower city bear right
on to the road (old US 209 – becomes Market Street in Williamstown) that says “Williamstown 3 miles, Wiconisco
5 miles.” Go 3 miles to
Williamston. Turn north onto West
Street. Go 2 blocks to Spruce
Street. Go 2 blocks east to East
Street. The church is on the southwest
corner of East and Spruce Streets.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church
Journal references:
1920,711 – secured adjacent lot for
possible future parish house;
ongoing work in the
Hungarian settlement in Williamstown
1971,97 – received members of Seybert and
West Street to become Williamstown UMC
2025,162 – closed 12/31/2024
Brief History:
This congregation/building was originally
the Williamstown First Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1970, when numerical names were dropped
following the denominational merger, the congregation became known as
Williamstown East. In 1971, East (ME)
and Seybert (EV) and West Street (UB) united to create the current Williamstown
UMC and worship in the formerly Methodist building.
The congregation had its beginnings in
1865 when the Methodist preacher from Lykens began preaching services in the school house on West Market Street. A Methodist class was formed in 1866 and
worshiped in the Seybert Evangelical Association church building until their
own building was erected 1869-70 and dedicated in 1871. That first building was removed in 1912 and the present building was dedicated May 25,
1913. During the construction, the
congregation worshiped in the abandoned Primitive Methodist Church and, later,
in Pritchards’s Hall.
The Christian education building was erected during the 1925-27 ministry
of Rev. A.L. Shalkop.
In 2024 the Williamstown congregation
voted to close as of 12/31/2024.
Final disposition:
100. Williamstown Ebenezer UE
Location: 332 W. Market Street
Municipality: borough of Williamstown
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Exit Tower City heading west on US
209. At the west end of Tower city bear
right on to the road (old US 209 – becomes Market Street in Williamstown) that says “Williamstown 3 miles, Wiconisco
5 miles.” Go 3 miles to
Williamston. The building is on the
south side of the street, between Water and Grant Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
After the
1894 split in the Evangelical Association, the United Evangelicals eventually
formed their own congregations of Williamstown Ebenezer, Wiconisco
Grace and Dayton St. Paul's. These churches remained outside the 1922 re-union
and became part of the Evangelical Congregational denomination.
Final disposition:
This building is now the Ebenezer Evangelical
Congregational Church.
101. Williamstown Seybert EA
Location: 336 W. Market Street
Municipality: borough of Williamstown
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
Exit Tower City heading west on
US 209. At the west end of Tower city
bear right on to the road (old US 209 – becomes Market Street in Williamstown)
that says “Williamstown 3 miles, Wiconisco
5 miles.” Go 3 miles to
Williamston. The building is on the
south side of the street, on the southwest corner of Market and Grant Streets.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical
Association
Journal references:
1971,97 – merged into
Williamstown East (former Methodist) to form Williamstown UMC
Brief History:
The Seybert Evangelical Church had the distinction
of being the first church in town. Its role in the religious development of the
community is unique because all denominations held services there. They
paid a token of $1.00 a service to the Evangelical Association. The Church was erected 1869-1870. In 1971 the Seybert (former EV) and West
Street (former UB) and East (former Methodist) congregations united to form the
Williamstown UMC, meeting in the former Methodist building.
Final disposition:
The building now houses a grocery store.
102. Williamstown West Street UB
Location: 141 N. West Street
Municipality: borough of Williamstown
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
West Street crosses Market Street near the center of
town, one block west of East Street. The
building is 1½ blocks north of Market Street on the east side of the street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1841,22 – Sunday School
building dedicated 2/16 /1941
1932,22 – brick annex completed; pupil
changed from north end to south end
1971,97 – merged into
Williamstown East (former Methodist) to form Williamstown UMC
Brief History:
This congregation began as a preaching point
on the Lykens circuit. Meetings were
held in a small building near the present site, and later in the Evangelical
church, until a small frame church building was erected in 1877. The original structure was enlarged in
1931. A significant brick addition and a
brick veneer of the rest of the structure was completed in 1942. In 1971 the Seybert (former EV) and West Street
(former UB) and East (former Methodist) congregations united to form the
Williamstown UMC, meeting in the former Methodist building.
Final disposition:
The building now houses a sewing factory.
103. Zion UE
Location: PA 225
Municipality: Paxton township
County: Dauphin
State: PA
Directions:
From the interchange of PA 225 and US 322, at the
north end of Dauphin, go 2 miles north on PA 225. The site is on the west side of the highway –
between a series of storage sheds and a residence designated 1120 PA 225. Only the cemetery remains
Historic Conference:
East
Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This church began in 1850 as a
Sunday School meeting in the Red Bridge schoolhouse. An Evangelical Association congregation was
formally organized in 1860, and a church building was erected in 1863. The congregation became United Evangelical
during the denominational split and remained out of the 1922 reunion to become
part of the Evangelical Congregational denomination. The building was damaged beyond repair by
hurricane Hazel in 1954 and a new building was erected on McKelvey Road in
1958. In 1972 hurricane Agnes rendered
unusable the Clarks Valley EC Church (erected in 1930 on Clarks Valley Road,
and never a part of one of United Methodism’s predecessor bodies) and Clarks
Valley and Zion united to become the Clarks Valley Zion Evangelical
Congregational Church.
Final disposition:
Only the cemetery remains.