Religion:Friends meeting houses in Pennsylvania
Many historic Friends meeting houses in Pennsylvania were constructed in colonial times and are listed individually by the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and others are contributing buildings in historic districts. Several Friends meetings, the equivalent of church congregations in other denominations, were founded in Pennsylvania by the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers in the early 1680s.[1] Thirty-two extant meeting houses, the equivalent of church buildings, were constructed before 1800. Over 100 meeting houses built before 1900 were documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in a survey that led to their publication of Silent Witness, Quaker Meeting Houses In The Delaware Valley, 1695 To The Present in 2002.[2][3] In 1827, the Great Separation divided Pennsylvania Quakers into two branches, Orthodox and Hicksite. Many individual meetings also separated, but one branch generally kept possession of the meetinghouse. The two branches reunited in the 1950s. Other branches, such as the Free Quakers, are generally represented in Pennsylvania by a single historic meeting house.
Meeting houses
Name | Photo | Founded | Constructed | Branch | Notes | Location | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Merion Friends Meeting House | 1683 | 1695-1714 | Hicksite | 615 Mongomery Ave., Merion Station [ ⚑ ] 40°00′35″N 75°15′16″W / 40.0097°N 75.2544°W |
NHL[4] | ||
Old Haverford Friends Meetinghouse | 1682, 1684 | 1701 | Hicksite | 235 E. Eagles Road, Havertown [ ⚑ ] 39°59′27″N 75°18′17″W / 39.9907°N 75.3047°W |
FMHS[2] [1] | ||
Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse | More images | 1703, 1710 | 1708, 1780 | Hicksite | Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting [ ⚑ ] 40°06′09″N 75°16′45″W / 40.1025°N 75.2792°W |
NRHP[5] | |
Bristol Friends Meeting House | 1707, 1711 | 1713-19 | Hicksite | Market & Woods St., Bristol [ ⚑ ] 40°05′47″N 74°51′26″W / 40.0963°N 74.8572°W |
FMHS NRHP HD[6] | ||
Concord Friends Meetinghouse | 1684 | 1728. 1788 | Hicksite | Old Concord Rd, Concordville [ ⚑ ] 39°53′05″N 75°31′09″W / 39.8848°N 75.5192°W |
NRHP, FMHS | ||
Radnor Friends Meetinghouse | More images |
1684, 1698 | 1717-18 | Hicksite | Sproul Rd. (Rt 320), Ithan [ ⚑ ] 40°01′48″N 75°21′51″W / 40.0300°N 75.3643°W |
[2] | |
Falls Friends Meeting House (former) | 1683 | 1728 | NA | replaced 1789, now an apartment building | Tyburn Rd. at New Falls Rd., Fallsington [ ⚑ ] 40°11′06″N 74°49′12″W / 40.1850°N 74.8200°W |
FMHS | |
Old Kennett Meetinghouse | 1707, 1711 | 1731 c. | Hicksite | US 1, Kennett Square [ ⚑ ] 39°52′16″N 75°38′53″W / 39.8711°N 75.6481°W |
FMHS | ||
New Garden Friends Meeting House | 1712, 1715 | 1743 | Hicksite | Newark Rd., Toughkenamon [ ⚑ ] 39°48′54″N 75°45′09″W / 39.8150°N 75.7526°W |
FMHS | ||
Sadsbury Friends Meeting House | 1723, 1725 | 1747 | Hicksite | Simmontown Rd, Gap [ ⚑ ] 39°58′15″N 75°59′27″W / 39.9709°N 75.9908°W |
FMHS | ||
Plumsted Friends Meeting House | 1730 | 1752, 1876 | 4914 Point Pleasant Pike, Danboro [ ⚑ ] 40°22′02″N 75°06′52″W / 40.3671°N 75.1145°W |
FMHS | |||
Exeter Friends Meeting House | 1715, 1725 | 1759 | Orthodox | Meeting House Rd., Stonersville [ ⚑ ] 40°18′48″N 75°47′04″W / 40.3132°N 75.7845°W |
FMHS | ||
Maidencreek Friends Meeting House | 1732, 1735 | 1759 | Hicksite | West Shore Dr., Kindts Corner (building moved 1929) [ ⚑ ] 40°27′44″N 75°55′51″W / 40.4622°N 75.9308°W |
FMHS | ||
Makefield Friends Meeting House | 1750, 1790 | 1760, 1764 | Hicksite | 877 Dolington Rd, Lower Makefield [ ⚑ ] 40°15′57″N 74°53′12″W / 40.2658°N 74.8868°W |
NRHP, FMHS | ||
Birmingham Friends Meetinghouse | 1726 | 1763 | Hicksite | Birmingham Rd. near Rt. 926, West Chester [ ⚑ ] 39°54′21″N 75°35′39″W / 39.9057°N 75.5943°W |
NRHP | ||
Uwchlan Meetinghouse | 1712, 1714 | 1763 c. | Orthodox | Village Ave. North, Lionville [ ⚑ ] 40°03′16″N 75°39′36″W / 40.0545°N 75.6599°W |
FMHS | ||
Bradford Friends Meetinghouse | 1716, 1726 | 1765 | Orthodox | 1364 West Strasburg Road, Marshallton [ ⚑ ] 39°56′59″N 75°40′48″W / 39.9496°N 75.6800°W |
NRHP | ||
York Friends Meeting House | 1754, 1767 | 1766, 1783 | Hicksite | Philadelphia St., York [ ⚑ ] 39°57′47″N 76°43′54″W / 39.9630°N 76.7317°W |
FMHS | ||
Buckingham Friends Meeting House | 1701, 1705 | 1768 | Hicksite | 5684 York Rd. (Rt 202), Lahaska [ ⚑ ] 40°20′41″N 75°02′19″W / 40.3447°N 75.0387°W |
NHL[7] | ||
Chichester Friends Meetinghouse | 1682, 1701 | 1769 | Hicksite | Meeting House Rd., Boothwyn [ ⚑ ] 39°50′11″N 75°25′53″W / 39.8365°N 75.4313°W |
NRHP | ||
Frankford Friends Meeting House | File:Frankford (Preparative) Friends Meeting House, Corner of Unity and Waln Streets, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA-6652-8.tif | 1684 | 1775-76 | Hicksite | Orthodox counterpart on Orthodox St. | Unity and Waln Sts., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 40°00′40″N 75°05′03″W / 40.0111°N 75.0843°W |
FMHS |
Caln Meeting House | 1716 | 1782 | Shared | In 1907 the Orthodox Meeting moved to Coatesville | Rt. 340, Thorndale [ ⚑ ] 40°00′26″N 75°45′53″W / 40.0073°N 75.7646°W |
FMHS | |
Free Quaker Meetinghouse | 1780 | 1783-84 | Free Quaker | 5th and Arch, Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°57′09″N 75°08′55″W / 39.9524°N 75.1487°W |
NRHP | ||
Abington Friends Meeting House | 1683 | 1786 | Hicksite | 520 Meeting House Rd., Jenkintown [ ⚑ ] 40°05′38″N 75°07′06″W / 40.0939°N 75.1182°W |
FMHS | ||
Wrightstown Friends Meeting Complex | 1686 | 1787 | Hicksite | Rt. 413, 4 miles north of Newtown [ ⚑ ] 40°15′57″N 74°58′54″W / 40.2657°N 74.9818°W |
NRHP, FMHS | ||
Falls Friends Meeting House | 1683 | 1789 | Orthodox. Hicksite 1841 meeting house just north |
Now houses the William Penn Center | 9300 New Falls Rd., Fallsington, Pennsylvania [ ⚑ ] 40°11′06″N 74°49′11″W / 40.1849°N 74.8196°W |
FMHS | |
Newtown Square Friends Meeting House | 1696, 1706 | 1791 | Hicksite | 120 Newtown Rd. (Rt 252), Newtown Square [ ⚑ ] 39°59′30″N 75°24′18″W / 39.9918°N 75.4050°W |
FMHS | ||
Middletown Friends Meeting House | 1680, 1683 | 1793 | Hicksite | 453 W. Maple Ave., Langhorne [ ⚑ ] 40°10′31″N 74°55′44″W / 40.1752°N 74.9288°W |
FMHS | ||
Catawissa Friends Meetinghouse | 1775, 1793 | 1794 | South St., Catawissa [ ⚑ ] 40°57′04″N 76°27′42″W / 40.9510°N 76.4617°W |
FMHS NRHP | |||
Roaring Creek Friends Meeting | 1786, 1796 | 1795-96 | Hicksite | Quaker Meeting Rd., Numidia [ ⚑ ] 40°53′53″N 76°23′55″W / 40.8981°N 76.3986°W |
FMHS | ||
Willistown Friends Meeting House | 1753, 1794 | 1798 | Hicksite | 7069 Goshen Rd., Whitehorse [ ⚑ ] 39°59′19″N 75°28′51″W / 39.9886°N 75.4809°W |
FMHS Part of Okehocking Historic District | ||
Marlboro Friends Meeting House | 1799, 1802 | 1801 | 901 Marlborough Springs Rd., Marlborough Village [ ⚑ ] 39°53′44″N 75°42′17″W / 39.8956°N 75.7046°W |
FMHS Part of Marlborough Village Historic District | |||
Fallowfield Friends Meeting House | 1792, 1796 | 1801 (1811?) | Hicksite | Rt. 82 at Buck Run Rd., Ercildoun [ ⚑ ] 39°56′46″N 75°50′18″W / 39.9461°N 75.8384°W |
FMHS | ||
Horsham Friends Meeting | 1714, 1717 | 1803 | Hicksite | Horsham Rd., Horsham Township [ ⚑ ] 40°11′01″N 75°07′54″W / 40.1836°N 75.1316°W |
FMHS | ||
Arch Street Friends Meeting House | 1681 (Philadelphia Yearly Meeting) | 1804, 1811 | Orrthodox | 304 Arch St., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°57′07″N 75°08′46″W / 39.9519°N 75.1462°W |
NHL | ||
Darby Friends Meeting | 1684 | 1805 | Hicksite | 1015 Main St., Darby [ ⚑ ] 39°55′16″N 75°15′46″W / 39.9211°N 75.2629°W |
NRHP | ||
Downingtown Friends Meeting House | File:Downingtown Friends Meeting House, 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown, Chester County, PA HABS PA-6653-2.tif | 1784, 1811 | 1806 | Uwchlan M.M. moved here in 1900 | 800 E. Lancaster Ave, Downingtown [ ⚑ ] 40°00′51″N 75°41′20″W / 40.0141°N 75.6889°W |
FMHS | |
Solebury Friends Meeting House | 1806, 1811 | 1806 | 2680 Sugan Rd., New Hope [ ⚑ ] 40°22′22″N 74°59′15″W / 40.3728°N 74.9874°W |
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Schuylkill Friends Meeting House | 1812 | 1807, 1816 | Hicksite | Charlestown Friends until 1826 | 37 N. Whitehorse Rd., Phoenixville [ ⚑ ] 40°07′15″N 75°30′07″W / 40.1209°N 75.5019°W |
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Byberry Friends Meeting House | 1683, 1701 | 1808 | Hicksite | 3001 Byberry Rd., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 40°06′09″N 74°58′51″W / 40.1025°N 74.9809°W |
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West Chester Meeting House | 1810, 1813 | 1810, 1868 | Hicksite | 425 N. High, West Chester [ ⚑ ] 39°57′51″N 75°36′28″W / 39.9642°N 75.6078°W |
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Providence Friends Meeting House | 1686 | 1700, 1727, 1753 | Hicksite | Providence Rd., Media [ ⚑ ] 39°55′06″N 75°22′52″W / 39.9183°N 75.3810°W |
HABS | ||
Upper Dublin | 1814 | 1814 | Hicksite | Ft. Washington & Limekiln Rd. Upper Dublin [ ⚑ ] 40°09′44″N 75°11′16″W / 40.1622°N 75.1878°W |
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Newtown Friends Meeting House | 1815, 1817 | 1817, 1868 | Hicksite | 219 Court St. Newtown [ ⚑ ] 40°13′33″N 74°56′09″W / 40.2257°N 74.9357°W |
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London Grove Friends Meeting House | 1724, 1775 | 1818 | Rt. 926 at Newark Rd, West Marlborough Township [ ⚑ ] 39°52′11″N 75°46′25″W / 39.8696°N 75.7735°W |
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Gwynedd Friends Meeting House | 1689, 1698 | 1823 | Hicksite | Spring House & Pennllyn Turnpike, Lower Gwyynedd [ ⚑ ] 40°12′11″N 75°15′21″W / 40.2031°N 75.2557°W |
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Little Elk Friends Meeting House | 1826 | Media Rd, Hickory Hill [ ⚑ ] 39°44′55″N 75°55′49″W / 39.7485°N 75.9304°W |
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Upper Providence Friends Meeting House | File:Upper Providence Friends Meetinghouse, 8207 Black Rock Road, Oaks, Montgomery County, PA HABS PA-6706-4.tif | 1716, 1733 | 1828 | Hicksite | 8207 Black Rock Road, Oaks, Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County [ ⚑ ] 40°08′56″N 75°28′33″W / 40.1490°N 75.4758°W |
HABS | |
Bart Friends Meeting | 1820 | 1825 | Hicksite | Quaker Church Rd., Christiana [ ⚑ ] 39°55′58″N 76°02′50″W / 39.9328°N 76.0473°W |
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Chester Friends Meetinghouse | 1675, 1698 | 1829, 1954 | 24th at Chestnut St. Chester [ ⚑ ] 39°52′10″N 75°21′50″W / 39.8694°N 75.3639°W |
NRHP | |||
Parkersville Friends Meetinghouse | 1830 | 1830 | Hicksite | Parkersville Rd. s of Rt 926 Parkersville [ ⚑ ] 39°53′10″N 75°38′43″W / 39.8861°N 75.6452°W |
NRHP | ||
Homeville Friends Meeting House | 1839 | 1839 | Newark Rd. Rt 896, Homeville [ ⚑ ] 39°51′39″N 75°59′14″W / 39.8608°N 75.9872°W |
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Unionville Friends Meeting House | 1845 | 1845 | Now Grange Hall | Rt. 82, Unionville [ ⚑ ] 39°53′44″N 75°43′51″W / 39.8956°N 75.7307°W |
FMHS | ||
Springfield Friends Meetinghouse | 1686 | 1703, 1783, 1850 | |||||
Millville Friends Meeting House | 1795 | 1846 | Hicksite | Main at Maple St., Millville [ ⚑ ] 41°07′23″N 76°31′34″W / 41.1231°N 76.5260°W |
HABS | ||
Longwood Progressive Friends Meeting House | 1854 | 1854 | Rt. 1 at Longwood Gardens [ ⚑ ] 39°52′07″N 75°40′17″W / 39.8687°N 75.6713°W |
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Goshen Friends Meeting House | 1709 | 1855 | 814 Chester Rd, Goshenville [ ⚑ ] 39°59′36″N 75°32′37″W / 39.9933°N 75.5435°W |
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Race Street Friends Meeting House | File:Race Street Friends Meeting House, Race Street west of Fifteenth Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA-6687-13.tif | 1855-57 | 1515 Cherry St., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°57′21″N 75°09′54″W / 39.9559°N 75.1651°W |
NRHP | |||
Richlands Friends Meeting House | 1710, 1723 | 1862 | Main St and Mill Rd, Quakertown [ ⚑ ] 40°26′12″N 75°21′08″W / 40.4367°N 75.3522°W |
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Lampeter Friends Meeting House | 1728, 1732 | 1889 | Rt. 340, Bird-in-Hand [ ⚑ ] 40°02′20″N 76°11′06″W / 40.0390°N 76.1850°W |
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Reading Friends Meeting House | 1750, 1756 | 1868 | Wilson Eyre | 108 N. 6th St., Reading [ ⚑ ] 40°20′15″N 75°55′35″W / 40.3375°N 75.9263°W |
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Germantown Friends Meeting House | 1690 | 1868-69 | Sloan & Hutton | 47 W. Coulter, Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 40°01′57″N 75°10′19″W / 40.0324°N 75.1720°W |
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Valley Friends Meeting House | 1698, 1810 | 1871 | 1121 Old Eagle School Rd., Wayne [ ⚑ ] 40°04′57″N 75°24′54″W / 40.0826°N 75.4151°W |
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Media Monthly Meeting House | 1878 | 1875 | Orthodox | known as Chester Monthly Meeting until 1950? | Third St., Media [ ⚑ ] 39°55′17″N 75°23′29″W / 39.9213°N 75.3913°W |
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West Philadelphia Orthodox Friends Meeting House | File:West Philadelphia Friends Meeting House, 3500 Lancaster Avenue at Thirty-fifth Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA-6664-3.tif | 1878 | 1878 | Orthodox | Powelton & 42nd St., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°57′33″N 75°12′24″W / 39.9592°N 75.2066°W |
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Oxford Friends Meeting House | 1876 | 1879 | S. 3rd St., Oxford [ ⚑ ] 39°46′48″N 75°58′51″W / 39.7801°N 75.9808°W |
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Swarthmore Friends Meeting House | 1863, 1893 | 1881 | Hicksite | 12 Whittier Place, Swarthmore [ ⚑ ] 39°54′26″N 75°21′12″W / 39.9073°N 75.3533°W |
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Fair Hill Friends Meeting House | 1702, 1880 | 1883 | Cambria St. at Germantown Ave., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°59′46″N 75°08′48″W / 39.9962°N 75.1467°W |
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Doe Run | 1808, 1811 | 1883 | 81 Greenlaw Rd, Cochraneville [ ⚑ ] 39°53′21″N 75°52′17″W / 39.8892°N 75.8715°W |
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Middletown Friends Meetinghouse | 1686, 1701 | 1702, 1770s, 1888 | 435 Middletown Rd, Lima [ ⚑ ] 39°55′28″N 75°26′34″W / 39.9245°N 75.4429°W |
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Horsham Orthodox Friends Meeting House | 1890 | 1890 | Orthodox | Extant? | Saw Mill Lane & Dreshertown Rd., Horsham Township, Pennsylvania [ ⚑ ] 40°10′39″N 75°08′23″W / 40.1775°N 75.1397°W |
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Gwynnedd Friends Meeting House | 1890 | Swede & Pine Sts., Norristown |
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Warrington Friends Meeting House | 1769 | Carlisle Rd, Wellsville [ ⚑ ] 40°03′12″N 76°55′47″W / 40.0532°N 76.9298°W |
References
- ↑ Tyson, Rae. "Our First Friends, The Early Quakers". http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/pa-heritage/our-first-friends-early-quakers.html. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Friend Meeting House Survey, Historic American Buildings Survey, 2002, notes used for Silent Witness, available at Friends Historic Library at Swarthmore College
- ↑ Historic American Buildings Survey (2002). Silent Witness, Quaker Meeting Houses In The Delaware Valley, 1695 To The Present. pp. 56. http://www.pym.org/publications/pym-books-brochures/silent-witness/.
- ↑ Bill Bolger; David G. Orr; Catherine LaVoie (February 3, 1998) (pdf). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Merion Friends Meeting House. National Park Service. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/98001194_text. and Accompanying 9 photos, exterior and interior, from 1987. (32 KB)
- ↑ "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce/SelectWelcome.asp. Note: This includes Helen Reichart Mirras (December 1969). [[[:Template:NRHP-PA]] "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse"] (PDF). Template:NRHP-PA. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
- ↑ Patrick W. O'Bannon, 1986, [[[:Template:NRHP-PA]] NRHP Nomination Form - Bristol Historic District]
- ↑ National Historic Landmark Nomination, Buckingham Friends Meeting House
Further reading
- Brief Historical Sketches concerning Friends' Meetings of the Past and Present with special reference to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, compiled by T. Chalkey Matlack, Moorestown, N.J. 1938. Available at the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College.
- Futhey, John Smith; Cope, Gilbert (1881). History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts. pp. 782. https://books.google.com/books?id=jcYxAQAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
External links
- QuakerMeetings.com, "Monthly Meetings in North America: A Quaker Index" - a database of the history of meetings (rather than meeting houses)