Merion Friends Meeting House facts for kids
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Merion Friends Meeting House
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Merion Friends Meeting House
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 615 Montgomery Ave., Merion Station, Pennsylvania |
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| Built | 1696–1714 |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001194 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 5, 1998 |
| Designated NHL | August 6, 1999 |
The Merion Friends Meeting House is a very old and special building in Merion Station, Pennsylvania. It's a place where Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, have met for hundreds of years. This meeting house is one of the oldest Quaker buildings in the entire United States! It was finished around 1715 and has unique features from its early Welsh builders. In 1999, it was named a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a very important historical place.
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A Historic Quaker Building
The Merion Friends Meeting House is found in a small area called Merion Station. It's a one-and-a-half-story building made from local stone, covered in plaster. The building has a unique "T" shape and a roof with cross gables.
Special Design Features
The front of the building has three sections, with the main door in the middle. The windows and the door have rounded tops. A special part of the building is its roof. The main wooden beams that hold up the roof are bent. This is a unique way of building that came from medieval Welsh traditions. It shows how early builders adapted old techniques.
The Burial Ground
Next to the meeting house, there is a burial ground. It's thought that more than 2,000 people are buried there. Many of the graves don't have markers. This was a common practice for early Quakers.
History of the Meeting House
The Quaker group that built this meeting house was started by some of the first Welsh settlers in America. They arrived in 1682. Building the meeting house began around 1695 and was finished about 1715.
Early Quaker Worship
In the early days, Quakers didn't have special buildings for worship. Before 1688, they often met outdoors, in homes, or in barns. This was because they weren't always allowed to worship freely. The Merion Friends Meeting House is special because it was built during a time when Quakers were just starting to design their own meeting places.
Welsh Influence
The building's design shows a lot of Welsh influence. It's a reminder of how early Quaker meeting houses were experimental. They were trying out different ways to create spaces that fit their needs. One famous person who spoke at this meeting house was William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania!
More to Explore
- List of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania
- Friends meeting houses in Pennsylvania
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
