Wesley Chapel (Hopetown, Ohio) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wesley Chapel
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Front of the church
Location in Ohio Show map of Ohio Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Off U.S. Route 23 at Hopetown, Ohio
Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built	1834
Architectural style	Gothic, High Victorian Gothic
NRHP reference No.	79001936
Added to NRHP	February 2, 1979

Drawing made of the church sometime before the late 1950s when the bell tower was torn down due to damage from a lightning strike.

Painting of Wesley Chapel (Hopetown, Ohio) done sometime before the late 1950s when the bell tower was removed due to lightning damage.

Wesley Chapel, also known as the "Hopetown Church", is a very old church building. It is located in a small place called Hopetown, Ohio, in the United States. This church was built for a group of people called Methodists.

The first part of the church was built way back in 1834. This rectangular part is still the main section of the building today. Over the years, the church has changed. In 1888, a five-sided part was added to its north side. The church also had big repairs after a lightning strike in 1926.

About Wesley Chapel

What the Church Looks Like

The church is made of brick and sits on a strong stone base. A cool pyramid-shaped roof sits above the part added in 1888. Long ago, the church had a tall tower above its front door. This tower was hit by lightning in 1926 and had to be taken down. The different parts of the church make it look like a special style called Gothic Revival.

A Center for Community Life

From the very beginning, Wesley Chapel was super important to the people of Hopetown. The community itself started in the late 1700s. The oldest graves in the church's cemetery are from the 1790s. For many years, the church was where people gathered for fun. They had social events like quilting bees and fish fries.

For a long time, the church did not have its own minister. Instead, it was served by "circuit-riding ministers." These were ministers who traveled from place to place. Even though the Ohio and Erie Canal brought good times in the 1830s, Hopetown stayed a small town. Wesley Chapel was always at the heart of this little settlement.

National Recognition

In 1979, Wesley Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historical site. It earned this honor because of its unique architecture and its big role in local history. More than forty places in Ross County are on this list. But Wesley Chapel is the only church building among them!