First United Methodist Church (London, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First United Methodist Church
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Front of the church
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 52 N. Main St., London, Ohio |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1894 |
| Architect | Crapsey & Brown; A.A. Fletcher, & Co. |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival and Jacobean Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000930 |
| Added to NRHP | August 22, 1996 |
The First United Methodist Church is a very old church in downtown London, Ohio, United States. It is a part of the United Methodist Church. This church group started when London was a very new town. Today, they still meet in their beautiful church building, which was built in the 1890s.
Contents
Church History
How the Church Started
A small group of people started the church in 1813 or 1814. This was very soon after the town of London was first planned out. In the beginning, the church members met in each other's homes. Preaching was not very common back then. The London church was part of a larger group of twenty-four Methodist churches. These churches were visited by traveling preachers.
In 1820, the church group built their first church building. It was made of logs and stood on a corner lot in downtown London. This was the very first church building in London. After twenty years, the church decided to move. They bought land a few blocks away. There, they built a bigger church made of wood. It was about 60 feet on each side. They also built a brick house for the pastor.
Changes and New Buildings
The 1860s brought many changes for the church. In 1860, the pastor's job became simpler. He mostly served only the London church. The same year, a new brick church building was finished. It was built where the old wooden church stood. This new building was 90 feet long and 40 feet wide. It cost $7,500 to build.
More buildings were added in the next few years. A new house for the pastor was finished in 1863. In 1866, a small chapel was added to the back of the church. This was a gift from one of the church members.
One important person from the church's past was Jeriah Swetland. He was a well-known local businessman. He also served as a representative in the Ohio House of Representatives.
The Church Building Today
Building a New Home
The church group kept growing, so they needed an even bigger building. In the early 1890s, they sold their third church building. They bought a house at 52 North Main Street. They moved this house to an empty lot nearby. Then, they fixed it up to use as the pastor's home.
With the house's old spot now empty, a much larger church was built there. This is the church building that is still used today. It was officially opened on November 18, 1894. The building cost $45,000 to construct.
Design and Style
The church was designed by an architecture company called Crapsey and Brown. It combines two old building styles: Gothic Revival and Jacobean Revival. The church's walls are made of brick and sandstone. They sit on a strong sandstone base. The roof is made of asphalt. The building also has pretty decorations made of wood and glass.
Historic Recognition
In 1996, the First United Methodist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of places in the United States that are important because of their history or architecture. The church was recognized for its well-preserved and historic design.
Today, the First United Methodist Church is part of the Capitol Area South District. This district is part of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church. As of 2019, Pastor David Leckrone and Associate Pastor Seth Evans serve the church.
