First Methodist Episcopal Church of McKeesport facts for kids
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First Methodist Episcopal Church of McKeesport
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The church in November 2014, now named First United Methodist Church
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1406 Cornell Street, McKeesport, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1926 |
| Built by | Edward Wehr |
| Architect | Charles Webber Bolton |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 14000814 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 30, 2014 |
The First Methodist Episcopal Church of McKeesport is a really old and important church in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Today, it's known as the First United Methodist Church. This church is famous for its beautiful Late Gothic Revival style. People have used it for church services and community events for a long time. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. This means it's a historic building worth protecting!
Contents
History of the Church
The story of the First Methodist Episcopal Church began a long time ago. It started with traveling preachers in the Ohio Valley around 1787. These preachers would ride from place to place to hold services.
Early Beginnings
In 1819, Methodists in the McKeesport area shared a church building. They met there with Presbyterians and Baptists. The official group, called the congregation, formed in 1841. As more people joined, they needed a bigger space. By 1876, the congregation moved into its third church building.
A New Building is Born
Sadly, this third church building caught fire. It was completely destroyed on July 11, 1924. But the church community didn't give up! They quickly started planning for a brand new building. They bought land on Fourteenth Avenue, which is now Cornell Street.
Construction began on Sunday, June 14, 1925. Just over a year later, the new church was finished. It was officially opened on Sunday, November 21, 1926. This is the beautiful church building you can see today.
Church Architecture
The First Methodist Episcopal Church has a special design. It is built in a style called Late Gothic Revival. This style often looks like old European cathedrals.
Building Sections
The church has three main parts. These are the Nave, the Chapel, and the Community building. The Nave is the main part where people sit during services. The northern section of the Nave has two parts that stick out, called transepts. If you looked down from above, the Nave and its transepts would form the shape of a cross. Right in the middle of this cross shape is a tall bell tower.
Materials and Changes
The church building is made from sandstone. It sits on a strong foundation of steel-reinforced concrete. This makes it very sturdy! What's cool is that the building hasn't really changed much since it was built. It still looks very similar to how it did in 1926.
