Old St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church |
|
---|---|
![]() |
|
Religion | |
Affiliation | Episcopal Church |
District | Diocese of Bethlehem |
Province | III (Middle Atlantic) |
Location |
St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church is an old and important church in Douglassville, Pennsylvania. It's part of the Episcopal Church, which is a Christian group. This church has a long history and is a special place for many people in the Diocese of Bethlehem.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of St. Gabriel's
St. Gabriel's started way back in 1720. It was first a Swedish Lutheran church. Later, in 1760, it became part of the Church of England.
The Oldest Part: The 1801 Chapel
The oldest part of the church is called Saint Gabriel's 1801 Chapel. It was built in 1801. This chapel is a two-story building made of brownstone. You can see a cool "herringbone" pattern in the stone walls. The inside of the chapel was fixed up in 1959. In 1978, this chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historic site in the United States.
Growing Over Time: The Main Church Building
The main church building, which is much bigger, was finished in 1884. More rooms were added in 1959 for offices and classrooms. The inside of the 1884 church was updated in 2003. In 2005, the part built in 1959 was made even bigger. It now has more classrooms and a large hall for church events.
Honoring Heroes: The Historic Cemetery
The church also has an old cemetery. Many brave veterans from different wars are buried there. You can find soldiers from the Revolutionary War (25 veterans) all the way to the Persian Gulf War (1 veteran). The only war not represented is the Spanish-American War.