CLOSED CHURCHES WITHIN THE
PRESENT BOUNDARIES OF THE
SUSQUEHANNA CONFERENCE OF
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
The information for each
church is arranged in alphabetical order within counties. Select a county.
Adams | Bedford | Blair | Bradford | Centre | Clearfield | Clinton | Columbia | Cumberland | Dauphin | Franklin | Fulton | Huntingdon| Juniata | Lackawanna | Luzerne | Lycoming | Mifflin | Montour | Northumberland
| Perry | Pike | Potter | Schuylkill | Snyder | Sullivan | Susquehanna | Tioga | Union | Wayne | Wyoming | York
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PA
0. The Evangelical Association in Western Schuylkill County
The early Evangelical Association had two circuits
operating in the portion of Schuylkill County considered by the Methodists to
be Central Pennsylvania: Mahantango and Williams
Valley. Each circuit had two church buildings in western Schuylkill
County at the time of the 1894 denominational split. The Mahantango churches (Zion and St. Paul's, both near Pitman
in Eldred township) became United Evangelical 1894-1922.
The Williams Valley churches (Zion and Grace, both near Tower City in Porter
township) were more involved: Zion became United Evangelical 1894-1922, and the
Grace congregation split ― with both the Association
and the United Evangelicals maintaining separate buildings 1894-1922.
The 1922 denominational re-union that
formed the Evangelical denomination produced an interesting mix of
results. The two Mahantango United Evangelical
congregations (Pitman St. Paul's and Pitman Zion) stayed out of the re-union,
left the Evangelical Church, and joined the new Evangelical Congregational
denomination. The Muir Grace United Evangelical congregation also stayed
out of the re-union, left the Evangelical Church, and joined the new
Evangelical Congregational denomination. The Muir Grace Evangelical
Association congregation [now Muir Grace United Methodist Church] and the Tower
City United Evangelical congregation joined the re-union and became
Evangelical, and later EUB, congregations.
For the completeness of this document,
the 3congregations that left the main denomination to become Evangelical
Congregational are listed as "closed" congregations.
1. Fearnot St. Peter's Methodist Church
Address: Church Road, village of Fearnot
Municipality: Hubley township
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
From Valley View, go west on PA 25 3.0
miles to Fearnot Road. Go north on Fearnot
Road 2 miles to the vilage of Fearnot. Turn left onto Church Road and go 0.2
miles. The church is on the left.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United
Brethren Church
Journal references:
2015,139 – merged in Spring Glen St.
Mark’s
Brief History:
The congregation grew out
of the class held on the Jacob Schwalm farm,
beginning as early as 1862. The building
was erected in 1886. While the
cornerstone, written in German, clearly identifies the structure as St. Peter’s
Church, it was known locally as Schwalm’s
Church. In 2015 the congregation merged
into St. Mark’s in Spring Glen to form Pine Creek UMC.
Final disposition:
2. Muir UE
Location: village of Muir
Municipality: Porter township
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
The village of Muir is just south of US 209, 3 miles
east of Tower City.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
The first Evangelical church building for this class was
a log structure erected in 1857 between Muir and Orwin.
In 1872 the congregation erected a new building 200 feet south of town.
That congregation was divided by the denominational split of 1894, and the
structure pictured above was erected in 1895 by those Evangelical Association
members in Muir that sided with the United Evangelical Church. Some of
the members returned to the main body in the denominational re-union of 1922,
and that re-united congregation erected the present Grace United Methodist
Church on the corner of Wiconisco and First in
1923. Those not returning in the 1922 re-union joined with other like
congregations to form the Evangelical Congregational denomination.
Final disposition:
The building now houses the Grace Evangelical
Congregational Church of Muir.
3. Orwin UB
Location: Dietrich Avenue, village of Orwin
Municipality: Porter township
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
From the intersection of US 209 and PA 325 in Tower
City, go south 1 mile on PA 325 to Dietrich Avenue. Turn left on Dietrich
Avenue and go 1 mile to the village of Orwin.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1949,47 - church building sold
1952,66 - cemetery transferred to Cemetery Association of
Trinity Evangelical and Reformed Church in Orwin
Brief History:
A United Brethren class was organized at Johnstown, now Orwin, about 1890. A lot was secured in 1892 and a
frame church erected the same year. The appointment was served from Tower
City during its entire existence
Final disposition:
4. Pitman St. Paul's UE
Location: 172 Ridge Road
Municipality: Eldred township
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
The village of Pitman is on Main Road, off PA 125
about half-way between Hegins and Shamokin. From Pitman go west on Main Road 1.5 miles to
PA 125. Go south on PA 125 1.0 miles to
Ridge Road. Go east on Ridge Road 100
yards to the church. The church is on
the left.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
Pitman St. Paul’s and Pitman Zion have united to form
one congregation with two locations.
Final disposition:
The building is now the
St. Paul’s campus of Pitman Evangelical Congregational Church.
5. Pitman Zion UE
Location: 247 Zion Church Road
Municipality: Eldred township
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
The village of Pitman is on Main Road, off PA 125
about half-way between Hegins and Shamokin. From Pitman, go east on Main Road 0.5 miles
to the elongated cross roads. At the
elongated cross roads, go straight on Zion Church Road 2 miles to the church. The church is on the left.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Evangelical
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
Pitman Zion and
Pitman St. Paul’s have united to form a single congregation meeting at two
locations.
Final disposition:
The building is now the
Zion campus of Pitman Evangelical Congregational Church.
6. Sacramento UB
Location: village of Sacramento
Municipality: Hubley township
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
The village of Sacramento is on PA 25, 3 miles west of
Valley View.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren
Church
Journal references:
1966,134 – resolution to discontinue
1966,145 – congregation discontinued;
trustees intact to care for cemetery
1967, 142 & 161 – approval to unite with
Valley View under the name St. Andrew’s
Brief History:
The church building at this site was erected
in 1873 at what was then the corner of Tuplehocken
Street and Elm Street, on the main road to Valley View, in the village of
Sacramento. The site is now rural, and on a loop off to the south of the
main road, PA 25.
Final disposition:
The building was taken down in 1967, and the site
is marked by a small monument containing the church bell. Some of the
windows were incorporated into the interior of the church at Valley View.
7. Tower City UB
Location: Grand Avenue, Tower City
Municipality: borough of Tower City
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
Tower City is on US 209. Grand Avenue is US
209. The building is on the south side of the road in the east side of
town.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the United Brethren Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
This class was organized in 1871 by
Rev. James Shoop of the Valley View charge. The congregation met in the
Jonathan Kuntzleman home before erecting a frame
building in 1872. That house of worship was replaced by a new brick
church in 1921, and a Christian education wing was added in 1958. The
congregation is truly ecumenically minded. In 1947, after a
denominational union had produced two EUB congregations in Tower City, they
accepted the members of the former Evangelical Church into their
fellowship. In 1978, after another denominational union had produced two
United Methodist congregations in Tower City, they joined with the former
Methodist Church and are now part of Christ United Methodist
Church.
Final disposition:
The building is now a flower shop.
8. Tower City Wesley ME
Location: Grand Avenue and Fourth Street, Tower City
Municipality: borough of Tower City
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
Tower City is on US 209. Grand Avenue is US
209. The church stood on the southeast corner of Grand Avenue and Fourth
Street.
Historic Conference:
Philadelphia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church
Journal references:
Brief History:
In the spring of 1870, the Methodist preacher
from Lykens and Wiconisco began preaching in Tower
City every two weeks, sometimes in a school house and sometimes in an open
grove. A lot was purchased in the west end of town, and a church building
was erected there in 1871. The congregation grew and a larger facility
was needed. The lot in the center of town on the corner of Grand Avenue
and Fourth Street was secured, and a new frame church building was dedicated
there on July 13, 1890. That structure was replaced by the brick edifice
pictured above in 1918. While the new building was being erected, the
congregation worshiped in the United Evangelical Church diagonally across the
intersection. In 1978 the congregation united with the former United
Brethren Church to form the present Christ United Methodist Church and erect a
modern facility in 1991.
Final disposition:
The building was razed when the new sanctuary was
erected on the lot next door, to the east. The site is now a landscaped
lot.
9. Tower City Zion EV
Location: Grand Avenue and Fourth Street, Tower City
Municipality: borough of Tower City
County: Schuylkill
State: PA
Directions:
Tower City is on US 209. Grand Avenue is US
209. The church stood on the northwest corner of Grand Avenue and Fourth
Street.
Historic Conference:
East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical Church
Journal references:
1925,214 – permission to merge with Reiner
City [Muir] Grace … apparently never happened
1943,99 – destroyed by fire; recommend
continue sharing the UB building
1946,631 – permission to sell the lots
from the church and parsonage
1947,58&72&100 – approval to use
funds from sale to apply to merger with UB congregation
Brief History:
The first Evangelical church building for
this class was a log structure 1 mile south of Tower City, at the foot of
Peter's Mountain. It was on the north side of the old Powell's Valley
Road, and the site is marked by a graveyard. In 1872 the congregation
purchased the lot on Grand Avenue and constructed a frame building. The
congregation identified with the United Evangelical Church during the 1894-1922
denominational split and were a two-point charge with the United Evangelical
portion of the split congregation in Muir. The frame building was razed
in 1922 and replaced with a brick structure. That structure and the
neighboring parsonage were destroyed by fire in 1947. As a result of the
1946 denominational merger, both this congregation and the former United
Brethren congregation a few blocks to the east were both part of the EUB
Church. Rather than rebuild, the congregation merged into the former
United Brethren Church.
Final disposition: