Fairton, New Jersey The Fairfield Presbyterian Church in Fairton, New Jersey is one of the most historic Presbyterian churches in the United States. Although not the first Presbyterian congregation in America, it predates the American Revolution and is the oldest Presbyterian church in use in the United States, ranking it among the other important early Reformed churches in … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2014
MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH
New York, New York Marble Collegiate Church, formally known as Fifth Avenue Church, is one of America’s most historic churches. A remnant of the old Dutch Reformed Church, the congregation of Marble Collegiate is one of the oldest continually active in the country. In recent years it was made famous as the home church of Norman Vincent Peale, one of the most popular and … [Read more...]
EVANGELICAL SITES OF NASHVILLE
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee has an interesting niche in American Evangelical Christianity. Although not a religiously historic city, it is nevertheless home to not one, but two of America’s most famous Christian institutions: The Gideons International, and the Southern Baptist Convention. The first organization is world famous for its mission to spread the … [Read more...]
BARRATT’S CHAPEL
Frederica, Delaware Barratt’s Chapel is the oldest Methodist Church still in use in the United States. Although Methodism was introduced to America first in Georgia by John Wesley, some refer to Barratt’s Chapel as the Cradle of Methodism, in part because of its age but also in part due to post-Revolutionary events that transpired there. It was built and named by and after … [Read more...]
OLD DUTCH CHURCH
Sleepy Hollow, New York The Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow is the oldest surviving Dutch Reformed Church building in the United States. It is perhaps even more famous because of its association with Washington Irving’s story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Many prominent early Dutch settlers are also buried in the church yard. Although the Old Dutch Church is kept in … [Read more...]
PURITAN HERITAGE SITES OF PLYMOUTH
Plymouth, Massachusetts In the 1620, the first refugees to flee the religious persecutions and wars then raging in Europe arrived in the Massachusetts Bay area of New England. After a brief interlude on Cape Cod, they established the Plymouth Colony. Although Jamestown in Virginia predated the Massachusetts settlement, it was Plymouth that established the tradition of … [Read more...]
