Third Presbyterian Church (Chester, Pennsylvania) facts for kids
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Third Presbyterian Church
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Third Presbyterian Church in 2015
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| Location | 9th and Potter St., Chester, Pennsylvania |
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| Built | 1872 |
| Architect | Isaac Pursell |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 10004702 |
| Added to NRHP | November 26, 2019 |
The Third Presbyterian Church was a very old church in Chester, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1872. This church was special because it held the very first summer bible school in 1912. It was a beautiful stone building. The church was designed in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looked like old European churches. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019. This list includes important historical places in the United States. Sadly, a big fire badly damaged the church in May 2020.
Contents
The Church's Story
The Third Presbyterian Church was built to celebrate a special reunion. Two groups of Presbyterian churches, called the Old and New School Churches, had come back together. The church started as a Sunday school in 1871. It was a mission of the First Presbyterian Church.
In 1872, 42 members decided to form their own church. They created the Third Presbyterian Church. A year later, in 1873, the church building was made longer. They added 25 feet to its length. A special area for the preacher, called a recess pulpit, was also added.
The First Summer Bible School
Dr. Abraham L. Latham was the minister of the church. He noticed that fewer young people were coming to church. He also felt the church members were not very active. So, he came up with a new idea. He designed the first summer bible school.
This school was a five-week program. It ran for four hours each day. It was for young people who were on summer vacation. The very first school opened in 1912. At its best, about 650 to 700 students attended the summer bible school.
Later Years and Closure
In the 1920s, a leader named Mel Trotter visited the church. He held a two-week event. About 400 people decided to join the church during this time.
The church was very popular in the middle of the 1900s. But in the 1970s and 1980s, things changed in Chester. The city faced economic challenges. Many people moved away. The church found it hard to keep going. It finally closed its doors in 1986.
After it closed, a group called Chester Eastside Ministries used the building. This group helps people in the community. They used the church until 2013. At that time, the building was not safe. It was also too expensive to fix. Chester Eastside Ministries then moved to St. Paul's Church nearby.
The city planned to tear down the church. But the Chester Historical Preservation Committee stepped in. They bought the building for just $1 in 2015. The committee hoped to use the Sunday school rooms as offices. They also wanted to use the main church area as a theater.
The Chester Historical Preservation Committee worked with Partners for Sacred Places. This group helps old and historic churches. They wanted to restore the Third Presbyterian Church.
The Big Fire of 2020
On May 28, 2020, a very large fire broke out at the church. It was a "five-alarm fire," which means it was very serious. The fire caused a lot of damage to the building. Luckily, no one was hurt.
The church was empty at the time. It also did not have electricity connected. Because of this, members of the Chester Historic Preservation Committee thought the fire might have been set on purpose. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was called to investigate.
Important People Connected to the Church
- Everett F. Harrison: He was the pastor at the Third Presbyterian Church from 1940 to 1944.
- John B. Hinkson: He was a lawyer and businessman. He was also the 6th mayor of Chester. He was a member of the church. He served as an elder and a trustee.
