Today’s parishioners at the Lahaska United Methodist Church continue to meet in the same sanctuary where the church’s earliest members began worshipping in 1853. This recent addition to Heritage Conservancy’s Register of Historic Places stands as a reminder of the country churches that served as community hubs in bucolic mid-19th century Bucks County.
“For 172 years, a small but very committed Methodist congregation has thrived and been a beacon of love, joy, hope, and peace to the Lahaska community,” said the Rev. Steve McComas.
Lahaska United Methodist Church traces its roots back several years before the church was built. A Methodist class meeting held in the home of Peter and Mary Johnson (located diagonally across from the present church) had outgrown the house. As a result, the Trustees of the Lahaska Methodist Episcopal Church purchased one acre of land at the intersection of York and Street Roads where the church was built in 1853 for $1,000. (The Methodist Episcopal Church eventually changed its name to the United Methodist Church).
The one-story building originally featured a slate roof and fieldstone walls covered with stucco on the exterior and plaster on the interior. Improvements over the decades include an addition added in 1868. Next to the church, a cemetery enlarged in 1880 was enclosed with a stone wall that stands today. A parsonage built next to the church in 1888 was used until 1904. Sold in 1952, the building remains on site.
The church added a belfry and bell in 1915, while electricity was installed in 1926. Following a smoke explosion from old-fashioned kerosene burning stoves, the church put a new heating system in place in 1951. The church added on to the side of the original church in 1962 with space for Sunday School, a fellowship hall and kitchen. Shingles replaced the slate roof in 1968, and nine stained glass windows were installed in the sanctuary between 1988 and 2003.
The circa-1853 sanctuary features original pews and wide plank flooring. A large oak tree has stood on the property for well over a century.
Founded by William Penn in 1682, Bucks County remained largely rural for over two centuries. The area near Lahaska UMC now known as Peddler’s Village was a farm until the 1970s. In the mid 1800s, vernacular country churches often developed from early meeting houses as the county’s communities grew. Many of the churches of the era featured simple, functional architecture using local materials. Vernacular churches like Lahaska UMC served as centers of social and religious life.
Today’s church maintains a quaint historical character. A small, friendly congregation honors its founding mission in its original building and location.
“For generations, a people called Methodist have gathered here to praise and worship God and to be a source of encouragement to each other in good times and bad times,” said Pastor McComas.
Lahaska UMC is one of more than 700 properties recognized by Heritage Conservancy’s Register of Historic Places. The Historical Review Board considers each property, its architectural integrity, historic significance and how it served the community. Heritage Conservancy helps identify, evaluate and protect our region’s heritage and preserve important historic and cultural landscapes.
Read about other entries on our Register of Historic Places.