Independence Presbyterian Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Independence Presbyterian Church
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Northern side and front
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | State Route 21, Independence, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1853 |
| Architect | Jacob Merkle |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001053 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1977 |
The Independence Presbyterian Church is a historic church building located in Independence, Ohio, United States. This stone church was built in the 1850s. For a while, its church community depended a lot on local mining. Since the 1920s, it has been home to an active church group again. In the 1970s, it was recognized as an important historic site.
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What is the Independence Presbyterian Church?
The Independence Presbyterian Church is mostly built from stone. Both its base, called the foundation, and its walls are made of stone. The roof is covered with slate, which is a type of rock.
A Look at the Church Building
The church building has a simple, rectangular shape with a pointed roof, known as a gable. At the front, there is a square tower where the main entrance is located. The top of the tower has a belfry, which is a space for bells. This belfry has special openings called louvers.
The church's design is quite plain, without much fancy decoration. However, one interesting part is the back wall. It used to have a famous rock carving called the Independence Slab. This carving was a unique feature of the building.
A History of the Church
The local Presbyterian church group started in 1837. But it took almost 20 years before their church building was constructed. The church was finally built in 1855. A person named Jacob Merkle created its design.
From Quarries to New Beginnings
At that time, the local economy relied heavily on nearby stone quarries. The church community also depended on these quarries. When the quarries closed in 1905, the church group became disorganized. The building was empty for 20 years.
Then, in 1925, a new Presbyterian group started using the building. As this new group grew, they needed a bigger space. A new church building was finished next door in 1963. Since then, the old church building is mostly used for special events. The church community is still an active part of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Becoming a Historic Landmark
In 1977, the old church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it was recognized as important because of its historic architecture. It is one of five places in Independence listed on the National Register. Other listed places include the Fuller-Bramley House and the Packard-Doubler House.
