Reformed Presbyterian Church of Vernon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Reformed Presbyterian Church of Vernon
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Front and side of the church
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | W234 S7710 Big Bend Road, Vernon, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1853 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001595 |
| Added to NRHP | January 7, 1999 |
The Reformed Presbyterian Church of Vernon is an old church building in Vernon, Wisconsin. It's located in southeastern Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. People also call it the Covenanter Church.
This church was built in 1853. It used to be a place of worship for the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. Since 1999, it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site.
Contents
Church History
Early Days in Vernon
Reformed Presbyterians are a type of Christian group. The first families from this group moved to the Vernon area in 1844. By 1847, more families arrived, mostly from New York.
These families formed a small group of church members. On October 18, 1848, they officially started their church. They called it the Waukesha Reformed Presbyterian Church.
Challenges and Reorganization
At first, the church was part of a larger group in New York. This was because traveling by the Great Lakes was easier than going to Illinois. However, this early church group didn't last long. It never had a permanent pastor, and its leaders either died or moved away.
So, on November 18, 1850, the church group officially stopped meeting. But some members stayed in the area.
A New Beginning
Even though the first group ended, a new church building was built in Vernon in 1853. On September 16, 1856, the church group was started again. This time, it was called the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Vernon.
This new group was more successful. They were able to get pastors to lead their services. Even when there wasn't a pastor, the church was strong enough to keep going. From 1863, the church was part of a larger group in Iowa.
Growth and Decline
In 1875, the church had 70 members. This was the most members it ever had. Around 1900, the number of members started to go down. By 1925, there were only 19 members left.
The church group officially stopped meeting in early 1940. This happened after one of its last two leaders died. A few people were still connected to the "Vernon Mission" until 1949.
After 1940
By 1940, the church group was no longer using the building for services. However, the remaining members still cared for the building. In 1942, they even replaced the roof. They hoped that services would start again one day. The church was not listed in official records after 1949.
Historic Landmark
The building has not been used for Reformed Presbyterian services since the 1940s. But it is still known as the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Vernon.
The church building has a special design called Greek Revival. Because of its unique style and history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on January 7, 1999.
