Bethesda Meeting House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bethesda Meetinghouse
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Front elevation, 2008
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 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | 9400 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, Maryland |
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| Area | 0 acres (0 ha) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 78003557 |
| Added to NRHP | July 17, 1978 |
The Bethesda Meeting House is a very old and important Presbyterian church building in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. It's so famous that the entire town of Bethesda got its name from this church in the 1870s! You can find it on Maryland Route 355 (also known as Rockville Pike) right near the Capital Beltway. This historic place has been recognized on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977, meaning it's a special site worth protecting.
Contents
What Does This Historic Church Look Like?
The Bethesda Meeting House property includes a few important parts. There's the main church building, which was built in 1850. To the south, you'll find a house called the parsonage, where the church's minister used to live. There is also a cemetery nearby.
Church Building Design
The church building is quite large and made of wood. It was designed in a style called Greek Revival, which makes it look a bit like an ancient Greek temple. Even though it has this Greek style, its windows are designed in a Gothic style, which was popular in the past.
The Old Parsonage House
Next to the church, the old parsonage is a two-story house. It was built in the Victorian era and has a cross shape when viewed from above. It also features some decorative elements from the Queen Anne style.
A Look Back in Time: The Church's History
The Bethesda Meeting House you see today was built in 1850. It stands on the same spot where an even older Presbyterian church once stood. That first church was built in 1820 but sadly burned down in 1849.
Early Years and New Owners
From 1850 until 1925, this building served as the Bethesda Presbyterian Church. In 1925, the church congregation moved to a new building on Wilson Lane, further south in Bethesda. After they moved, the church leaders sold the old building and about 7 acres of land to a woman named Mrs. May Fitch Kelley. However, the Presbyterian church kept ownership of the cemetery.
Mrs. Kelley lived in the church building for many years. Later, in 1945, the property was sold again. This time, it went to a group of Catholic missionaries from France and Algeria called the Missionaries of Africa, also known as the White Fathers. In the 1950s, the property changed hands one more time, becoming owned by the trustees of the Temple Hill Baptist Church.
How Bethesda Got Its Name
The Bethesda Meeting House played a big part in how the entire community got its name! In the 1860s, the church's pastor, Reverend Edward Henry Cumpston, started asking the local postmaster, Robert Franck, to change the name of the post office.
From Darcy's Store to Bethesda
The post office was originally called "Darcy's Store." In 1871, the postmaster agreed to Reverend Cumpston's request and renamed the post office. Because of this, the area around the church and post office also started to be called Bethesda.
