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 an old church with a long history in Chester, Pennsylvania. It was started in 1872 and was located at 9th and Potter Streets. This church was special because it held the very first summer bible school in 1912.
The church building was made of stone in a style called Gothic Revival. It was designed by a famous architect named Isaac Pursell. The church closed its doors in 1986. Later, the Chester Historical Preservation Committee took care of it.
The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 2019. Sadly, it was badly damaged by a large fire on May 28, 2020.
Contents
History of the Church
The Third Presbyterian Church was built to celebrate the joining of two groups of churches. It was first located on the corner of Twelfth and Upland Streets. The land was bought in 1871. A brick building was put up there for a Sunday school.
A group of 42 members left the First Presbyterian Church. They formed the Third Presbyterian Church on October 16, 1872. In July 1873, part of the church was removed. Twenty-five feet were added to its length, and a special area for the speaker was built.
The First Summer Bible School
Dr. Abraham L. Latham was the minister of the Third Presbyterian Church. He noticed that fewer people were coming to church. He also saw that the church members were not as active.
To help, he created the first summer bible school. It was a five-week program for young people. It ran for four hours each day during summer vacation. The first school opened in 1912. At its busiest time, about 650 to 700 students attended the summer bible school.
Later Years and Closure
In the 1920s, a leader named Mel Trotter held a two-week event at the church. About 400 people decided to change their lives during this time.
The church had the most members in the middle of the 20th century. But in the 1970s and 1980s, Chester faced economic changes. The number of people living in the area also shifted.
The Third Presbyterian Church could not keep going during these tough times. It closed its doors in 1986.
After the Closure
The Chester Eastside Ministries, a group that helps people, used the building next. They stayed there until 2013. The building was found to be unsafe and too costly to fix.
The Chester Eastside Ministries moved to St. Paul's Church nearby. A plan was made to tear down the old church. However, the Chester Historical Preservation Committee stepped in.
In 2015, the committee bought the building for just $1. They hoped to rent out 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 older and historic religious buildings. They worked together to try and restore the Third Presbyterian Church.
The May 2020 Fire
The church was badly damaged by a very large fire. This fire happened in the early morning hours of May 28, 2020. No one was hurt in the fire.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was called to look into the fire. The church was empty and had no electricity connected. Because of this, members of the Chester Historic Preservation Committee thought the fire was suspicious.
Notable Members
- 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 and served as a leader there.
