Thomas Run Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Thomas Run Church
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Watters Meeting House in 2011
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 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | Northeast of Bel Air off Maryland Route 136, near Bel Air, Maryland |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001466 |
| Added to NRHP | January 3, 1978 |
Thomas Run Church, also known as Watters Meeting House, is a very old Methodist church. You can find it near Bel Air, Maryland in Harford County, Maryland. This church is made of rough stone and has a roof covered with slate. It was one of the first places where Methodists met in early America.
Contents
The Church's Story
Early Beginnings
A man named Henry Watters was born close to where the church stands today. This was on October 16, 1751. In 1771, he became a Methodist and decided to start a church back home. Henry Watters was one of the first "itinerant" preachers in America. This means he traveled around to preach.
Around that time, a building made of logs was built on the site. People called it the "Watters Meeting House." Sadly, this log building was later destroyed by a fire.
Building the Stone Church
The church you see today, made of stone, was built around 1840. It stands in the exact spot where the old log building once was. For many years, this stone church served the Methodist community.
The church grew over time. It even became home to Daniel Ruff, who was a "circuit rider." A circuit rider was a preacher who traveled a set route to visit different churches. He belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Church Records and Celebrations
Records from the Lovely Lane Methodist Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, tell us more. Thomas Run Church was part of the Darlington Methodist Charge. This group also included Darlington United Methodist Church and Rock Run United Methodist Church.
The museum records also show that the church celebrated its 150th birthday in August 1932. This celebration was shared with the other churches and lasted for a few weeks.
Travel to Thomas Run Church
In 1931, Reverend Raymond E. Manley came to lead the charge. He wrote about his interesting trips to the church each week. He said that getting to Thomas Run Church was an adventure. It was far from the main road, and the path to the church was not well kept. This made it hard to drive there. He also noted that one family kept the church going and paid their share regularly.
Closing and Reopening
The church closed its doors in 1945. It has stayed connected to the Darlington Methodist charge since then. Even after closing, activities still took place there. For example, in 1947, youth groups from all three churches met there for a whole weekend.
Today, services are held twice a year. One is on the first Sunday of June, and the other is on the first Sunday of October.
In March 1996, a fire was set on purpose at the church. This fire completely destroyed the inside. Luckily, old photos helped to rebuild the interior as closely as possible. The church was officially opened again in October 2000.
Who Owns the Church Now?
Blanche and Lester Pyle bought the church in 1963 from the Methodist Conference. Now, the Thomas Run Foundation, Inc. takes care of it.
The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's a special place in history.
Gallery
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A beautiful view from behind
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A sepia tone picture of the inside
