St. James Kingsessing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. James Kingsessing |
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| St. James Kingsessing Episcopal Church | |
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 St. James Kingsessing
Location in Pennsylvania
St. James Kingsessing
Location in the United States
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| 39°55′20″N 75°14′21″W / 39.922136°N 75.239052°W | |
| Location | 6838 Woodland Ave Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19142 |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal |
St. James Kingsessing is a very old and historic church in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Many people call it "Old Swedes" because it was built by settlers from Sweden and their children.
The church is located at 68th Street and Woodland Avenue. It is an important link to the early history of European settlers in America.
History of the Church
The story of St. James Kingsessing starts with a group of settlers from Sweden. They created a colony called New Sweden in the Delaware Valley area.
The New Sweden Colony
The New Sweden colony was started in 1638 by a company from Sweden. For 17 years, Swedish people lived and built communities here. In 1655, the colony was taken over by the Dutch.
Even after the colony ended, the Swedish families stayed. They continued to build their own communities and churches. These churches helped them keep their culture and traditions alive.
Building St. James Kingsessing
St. James Kingsessing was built in 1762, long after the New Sweden colony was gone. The families of the original settlers wanted a place to worship.
This church is considered a "sister" church to another famous Swedish church in Philadelphia called Gloria Dei. This means they share a common history and were founded by the same community of people. Together, these churches are important landmarks from America's colonial past.
