Groveport United Methodist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Groveport United Methodist Church
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Front and eastern side
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 512 Main St., Groveport, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1907 |
| Architect | Charles Rarey |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000494 |
| Added to NRHP | April 20, 1995 |
The Groveport United Methodist Church is a special old church building in Groveport, Ohio, United States. It's a place where people have gathered to worship for a very long time, starting in the 1830s. The church building you see today was built in the early 1900s and is recognized as a historic site.
Contents
A Long History of Faith
The story of this church began even before Groveport was officially named.
Early Beginnings
- Two other churches, Hopewell Methodist Episcopal Church and Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, started in Franklin County around 1805 and 1806.
- Some people from these churches, who lived near what is now Groveport, decided to start their own church.
- They founded the Groveport Methodist Church in 1836.
- Their first church building was finished by the end of that year.
- Interestingly, the bricks for this first building were made right there on the church's land!
Growing Together
- The name "Groveport" itself wasn't chosen until 1847.
- By 1839, the Groveport church became the main center for a new group of Methodist churches in the area.
- More and more people joined the church.
- By 1851, the first church building was too small for everyone who wanted to attend.
- So, the members decided to build a second, larger church.
- They raised over $4,200 to help pay for it.
- Even with some small delays, the new building was completed.
The Church We See Today
- The second church building served the community until 1908.
- That's when the third and current church building was finished.
- A man named Charles Rarey was in charge of the construction.
- He even left his job as a court clerk to work on the church full-time!
- This impressive building cost $25,000 to build.
- Just like the first church, its bricks were made locally in Groveport.
What Makes the Building Special?
The Groveport United Methodist Church has a unique and beautiful design.
Architecture and Materials
- The church is made of brick.
- It sits on a strong foundation of limestone.
- The roof is covered with slate, a type of rock.
- You'll notice many large glass windows.
- A tall tower stands on one corner of the building.
- This tower has a steep, pointed roof.
- Other parts of the building have gabled roofs, which means they have a triangular shape.
Distinctive Features
- Many of the windows and doorways have a rounded-arch shape.
- You can see two of these beautiful windows on different levels of the tower.
- These windows are made of stained glass.
- The colorful stained-glass windows are one of the most special parts of the church's design.
A Historic Landmark
The Groveport United Methodist Church is still an active place of worship today. It is part of the United Methodist Church's West Ohio Conference.
In 1995, the church building was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historic building because of its amazing architecture. It's one of four places in Groveport listed on the National Register. The others are the Groveport Log Houses, the Groveport School, and a group of buildings called the Groveport Town Hall Historic Group.
