List of the oldest churches in the United States
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The designation of the oldest church in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest Christian church congregation. Even here, there is the distinction between old church buildings that have been in continuous use as churches, and those that have been converted to other purposes; and between buildings that have been in continuous use as churches and those that were shuttered for many decades.
In terms of congregations, they are distinguished between early established congregations that have been in continuous existence (despite sometimes great theological changes), and early congregations that ceased to exist. Some of these churches are located in areas that were part of the thirteen original colonies that made up the United States in 1776. Others were built in states and territories that were later annexed, such as New Mexico and Puerto Rico. Sites on the list are generally from the First Period of American architecture or earlier.
To be listed here a site must:
- be the oldest church in a state, territory, large city (top 50), or oldest of its type (denomination, architectural, etc.);
- be freestanding (not a ruin or mound...there are separate lists for those); and/or
- be the oldest congregation of its type (denomination).
Oldest church buildings
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
San Miguel Mission | ![]() |
Santa Fe, New Mexico | NM | 1610 | Roman Catholic | Said to be the oldest church structure originally built in the continental US. The original adobe walls and altar were built by the Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico, but much of the structure was rebuilt in 1710. Building has been within the U.S. since 1848, when the New Mexico territory was annexed.[1] |
Jamestown Church | ![]() |
Jamestown, Virginia | VA | 1639-43 | Episcopal | Only the church tower and foundations remain from 1639 [2] |
Old Trinity Church, Maryland | ![]() |
Church Creek, Maryland | MD | 1675 | Episcopal | Church building in continuous use; as such, oldest in the US.[3] |
Third Haven Meeting House | ![]() |
Talbot County, Maryland | MD | 1681-84 | Quaker (Friends) | Oldest Quaker meeting house in the United States. |
Old Ship Church | ![]() |
Hingham, Massachusetts | MA | 1681 | Puritan, Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist | Only remaining 17th-century Puritan meetinghouse in the US.[4] |
St. Luke's Church | ![]() |
Smithfield, Virginia | VA | 1682 | Episcopal | National Historic Landmark[5] |
Old Indian Meeting House | ![]() |
Mashpee, Massachusetts | MA | 1684 | Congregational/Native American | Oldest Native American church |
King's Chapel | |
Boston, MA | MA | 1686 | Unitarian Christian | Oldest continually used religious site in Boston |
Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow | |
Sleepy Hollow, New York | NY | 1685 | Dutch Reformed | Oldest church building in New York |
Old Quaker Meeting House | ![]() |
Flushing, New York | NY | 1694 | Quaker (Friends) | Oldest religious building in New York City. The only surviving example in New York State of a typical 17th-century ecclesiastical frame structure of medieval design.[6] |
Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes) | |
Wilmington, Delaware | DE | 1698 | Lutheran/Episcopal | Oldest Swedish Church in the United States |
Great Friends Meeting House | |
Newport, Rhode Island | RI | 1699 | Quaker (Friends) | Quaker Meeting House, oldest surviving church in Rhode Island |
Gloria Dei (Old Swedes' Church) |
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | PA | 1700 | Lutheran/Episcopal | Oldest surviving church in Philadelphia |
Six Principle Baptist Church | ![]() |
North Kingstown, Rhode Island | RI | 1703 | Baptist | Possibly oldest surviving Baptist church building in the U.S. |
St. Mary's Episcopal Church | ![]() |
Burlington | NJ | 1703 | Episcopal | Oldest church in New Jersey |
St. Andrews Episcopal Church | ![]() |
Charleston, South Carolina | SC | 1706 | Episcopal | Oldest church in South Carolina |
Old Narragansett Church | ![]() |
Wickford, Rhode Island | RI | 1707 | Episcopal | Oldest surviving colonial Episcopal church in Northeastern USA |
St. Michael's Church | ![]() |
Marblehead, Massachusetts | MA | 1714 | Episcopal | Oldest surviving Episcopal church building in New England on its original foundation |
Old North Church | |
Boston, Massachusetts | MA | 1723 | Episcopal | Oldest active church building in Boston and a National Historic Landmark, the Old North Church (formal name: Christ Church in the City of Boston) is the location from which the famous signal lanterns are said to have been displayed for Paul Revere's midnight ride during the American Revolution.[7] |
Trinity Church, Newport | ![]() |
Newport, Rhode Island | RI | 1726 | Episcopal | Oldest Episcopal Parish in Rhode Island |
St. John's Episcopal Church | |
Hampton, Virginia | VA | 1728 | Episcopal | Oldest Episcopal Parish in the New World |
Christ Church | ![]() |
Nanjemoy, Maryland | MD | 1732 | Episcopal | Oldest Episcopal congregation in Maryland |
St. Thomas Episcopal Church | ![]() |
Bath, North Carolina | NC | 1734 | Episcopal | Oldest church in North Carolina |
Augustus Lutheran Church | ![]() |
Trappe, Pennsylvania | PA | 1743 | Lutheran | Oldest unaltered Lutheran Church in use by the same congregation |
St. Michael's Church | ![]() |
Charleston, South Carolina | SC | 1752–1761 | Episcopal | Oldest church edifice in Downtown Charleston, SC |
St. Paul's Chapel | |
New York, New York | NY | 1766 | Episcopal | Oldest church building in Manhattan |
Barratt's Chapel | ![]() |
Frederica, Delaware | DE | 1780 | Methodist | Second oldest Methodist church building in the U.S. built for that purpose (the oldest is St. George's in Philadelphia, PA, built in 1769) |
Mission San Juan Capistrano | ![]() |
San Juan Capistrano | CA | 1782 | Roman Catholic | Oldest building in use in California |
Oldest Continuous Church Congregations
Building | Image | City | State | Year | Denomination | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. John's Episcopal Church (Hampton, Virginia) | Hampton, Virginia | VA | 1610 | Episcopal | Oldest English-speaking parish in continuous existence in the United States of America, current building from 1728[8] | |
First Parish Church in Plymouth | Plymouth, Massachusetts | MA | 1620 | Originally Separatist (Calvinist), then Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist | Oldest congregation in New England, oldest congregation in Massachusetts (building from 1899), founded by the Pilgrims | |
Marble Collegiate Church | ![]() |
New York, New York | NY | 1628 | Dutch Reformed | Oldest church congregation in New York State (building from 1854) |
First Church in Boston | ![]() |
Boston, Massachusetts | MA | 1630 | Originally Puritan (Calvinist), then Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist | Oldest congregation in Boston, Massachusetts (building from 1968) |
First Parish Watertown (Watertown, Massachusetts) | Watertown, Massachusetts | MA | 1630 | Originally Puritan (Calvinist), then Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist | ||
Christ Church | ![]() |
Stevensville, Maryland | MD | 1632 | Episcopal | Oldest congregation in Maryland, building from 1880 pictured. (current building from 1995) |
First Baptist Church in America | ![]() |
Providence, Rhode Island | RI | 1638 | Baptist | First Baptist Church founded in America, oldest church congregation in Rhode Island, oldest Baptist congregation in America (building from 1775) |
First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica | New York, New York | NY | 1662 | Presbyterian | Oldest Presbyterian church congregation in continuous existence | |
First Congregational Church of Greenwich | ![]() |
Greenwich, CT | CT | 1665 | Congregational | Oldest congregation in Greenwich (wooden buildings in 1667, 1694, 1735 and 1835. Present stone building in 1896.) |
St. Philip's Episcopal Church (Charleston, South Carolina) | ![]() |
Charleston, SC | SC | 1681 | Episcopal | Oldest Episcopal Congregation south of Virginia, present church building 1838 |
King's Chapel | |
Boston, MA | MA | 1686 | Unitarian Christian | Oldest continually used religious site in Boston |
Christ Church, Philadelphia | |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | PA | 1695 | Episcopal | Oldest Episcopal congregation in Pennsylvania |
Trinity Church, New York | |
New York, NY | NY | 1697 | Episcopal | Chartered by King William III in 1697. |
Trinity Church, Newport | ![]() |
Newport, Rhode Island | RI | 1698 | Episcopal | Oldest Episcopal Parish in Rhode Island |
Most Blessed Sacrament Parish | ![]() |
Bally, Pennsylvania | PA | 1741 | Roman Catholic | Oldest RC Church in the original thirteen colonies still in continuous use in original building, original name St. Paul's Chapel |
Mother Bethel AME Church | ![]() |
Philadelphia | PA | 1794 | African Methodist Episcopal (AME) | AME Church and denomination (1816) founded in Philadelphia; oldest congregation in the United States (building from 1890) |
By state
Alabama
- Indian Springs Baptist Church, possibly the oldest surviving church building. Circa 1825.[9]
- Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Mobile, congregation established in 1703, took current name in 1781, current building completed in 1850 (Roman Catholic)
- Mt. Calvary Presbyterian Church, Clay, AL. Founded in 1806.
- Flint River Primitive Baptist Church, founded in 1808 (Baptist)
- Canaan Baptist Church, Bessemer, was founded in 1818 (Southern Baptist).
- Round Island Baptist Church (Athens, Limestone County) was founded in 1817.
- Old Salem Baptist Church, Monroe County was founded in Nov. 1817 and is still an active church.
Alaska
- Church of the Holy Ascension, Oldest church building, built in 1826 (Russian Orthodox)
- Russian Orthodox Church in Kodiak Alaska, Oldest congregation, founded in 1794 (Russian Orthodox)
- Sitka Lutheran Church, Oldest Protestant church congregation, founded in 1839 (Lutheran)
Arkansas
Arizona
- Mission San Xavier del Bac, Oldest church building, built 1780-1797 (Roman Catholic)
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Tombstone, Arizona), Oldest Protestant church, built in 1882 (Episcopal)
California
- Emmanuel Church in Coloma, Oldest Protestant church building, built in 1855 (Methodist/Episcopal)
- Mission San Juan Capistrano, Oldest church building, built in 1782 (Roman Catholic)
- Mission San Diego de Alcalá, Oldest congregation, founded in 1769 (Roman Catholic)
- Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco, Oldest Protestant church congregation, founded in 1849 (Presbyterian)
Colorado
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Antonito, Oldest church building and congregation, built in 1857 (Roman Catholic)
- St. James Methodist Church in Central City, Oldest Protestant [12] church in Colorado still used as a church, oldest Protestant congregation (1859) and oldest Protestant church in the state (1871) (Methodist)
Connecticut
- Abington Congregational Church, Oldest church building, built in 1751 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
- First Church of Windsor, Oldest church congregation, founded in 1633 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
- Lakeville Methodist Church, Oldest standing Methodist church in New England.
Delaware
- Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes), Oldest church building in Delaware, built in 1698 (Lutheran/Episcopal)
Florida
- Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. Originally established September 8, 1565. Abandoned in 1763, but re-built in 1793. Elevated to Cathedral when Diocese of St. Augustine was created in 1870.
- Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Augustine is Florida's oldest Episcopal Church. It opened its doors in 1831. Trinity remains on its original site, and with its original steeple that was completed in 1837.
- Old Christ Church (Pensacola, Florida). Oldest church in Florida on its original foundation, built in 1832 (Episcopal)
- Mount Beasor Primitive Baptist Church (Sopchoppy, Florida) established in 1853 (Baptist).
- St. John's Episcopal Church (Tallahassee, Florida). St. John's is the mother church of the Diocese of Florida. It was founded as a mission parish in 1829, and the church's first building was erected in 1837. The Diocese was organized at St. John's in 1838 and Francis Huger Rutledge, who became rector of St. John's in 1845, was consecrated the first Bishop of Florida in 1851. The original church burned in 1879; a new church was built on the same site and consecrated in 1888, and it is still the parish's principal place of worship.[13]
Georgia
- Jersusalem Lutheran Church, Oldest church building in Georgia, built in 1769 (Lutheran)
- First African Baptist Church (Savannah, Georgia), claims continuous ties with Silver Bluff Baptist Church congregation as oldest black Baptist congregation, 1774-1775 (Baptist)
- Springfield Baptist Church (Augusta, Georgia) also has continuous congregational ties to Silver Bluff Baptist Church (Baptist)
- Antioch Christian Church (Watkinsville, Georgia. The oldest Disciples of Christ congregation in Georgia, established in 1806.
Hawaii
- Mokuaikaua Church, Oldest church congregation and building, founded in 1820, built in 1837 (Congregational)
- Kawaiahao Church, Oldest church congregation, founded in 1820, current structure dedicated in 1842 (Congregational)
Idaho
- Christ Chapel (Boise, Idaho), Oldest Protestant church, built in 1866 (Episcopal)
- Old Mission, Oldest church building in Idaho, built in 1848 (Roman Catholic)
Illinois
- Church of the Holy Family (Cahokia), Oldest church building, built in 1799 (Roman Catholic)
- First Baptist Church of Elizabethtown, Oldest Baptist church congregation in Illinois, possibly oldest Protestant church, founded in 1806 (Baptist)
- Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church (East Carondelet), Established 1809. Due to its location (Flat Creek Bottom), the people in the area began referring to the church as Flat Creek Baptist Church, although the members officially named the church, “The Missionary Baptist Church of East Carondelet”.
- Shiloh United Methodist Church (Shiloh, Illinois) established 1807. Current building same location 1825.
- Mulkeytown Christian Church, established 1818, is the oldest Independent Christian Church. It is now a part of the fellowship of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ or the "Independent Christian Church" a group which separated from the Disciples of Christ beginning in 1924. The oldest congregation still affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is Barney's Priarie in Mt. Carmel, established 1816.
Indiana
- Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Oldest church building, built in 1812 (Baptist)
- Stony Point Christian Church, Charlestown, Oldest Protestant congregation in Indiana, constituted in 1789
- Old Cathedral Complex, Oldest congregation, founded in 1749 (Roman Catholic)
Iowa
- Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Pleasant Grove, Iowa, Oldest Protestant church congregation, founded in 1832 (Presbyterian)
- St. Raphael's Cathedral (Dubuque, Iowa), Oldest church congregation in Iowa, founded in 1833 (Roman Catholic)
- St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa), Oldest church building, built in 1838 (Roman Catholic)
Kansas
- White Church Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Oldest continuously used church building, built in 1832
Kentucky
- Cane Ridge Meeting House, Possibly the oldest church building, built in 1791 (Presbyterian and Disciples of Christ)
Louisiana
- Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans, Oldest Protestant church congregation in Louisiana (1803)
- St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Oldest congregation and church building in Louisiana, founded in 1718, and built in 1793 (Roman Catholic)
Maine
- First Congregational Church and Parsonage (Kittery, Maine), Possibly the oldest church building in Maine, built in 1729 (Congregational).
- First Parish Congregational Church of York, Maine. Oldest church congregation,[14] (Congregational/United Church of Christ) founded before 1672, organized in the Congregational tradition by Shubael Dummer.[15]
Maryland
- Old Trinity Church, Maryland, 1675, Episcopal, building in continuous use; as such, oldest in the US.[3]
- Third Haven Meeting House, oldest Quaker building in the US, built in 1682
- St. James Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, Baltimore, Oldest African American congregation south of the Mason–Dixon line (1824)
- St. Paul's Church, in Clear Spring, Washington County (1747)
Massachusetts
- First Church in Plymouth, Oldest congregation founded 1620 (building 1899), (Puritan, Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist)
- First Congregational Church of Marshfield, gathered in 1632 (same building since 1838) (Congregational) [1]
- First Baptist Church in Swansea, Oldest Baptist congregation in MA, founded in 1663 (Baptist)
- First Parish in Cambridge, founded on February 1, 1636 at the First Church (Evangelical, now Unitarian Universalist)
- Old Ship Church, Oldest church building, built 1681, (Puritan, Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist)
- St. Michael's Church (Marblehead, Massachusetts). Oldest Episcopal Church in New England on its original foundation, built 1714, and still used daily year-round. A National Historic Landmark.
- Old North Church, Official name: Christ Church in the City of Boston. Oldest standing church building in Boston, built 1723 (Episcopal) a National Historic Landmark significant for its role in the American Revolution.
Michigan
- Ste. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church, Oldest congregation (Roman Catholic) founded 2 days after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit in 1701.
- Mission Church, Mackinac Island, Oldest church building, built 1829-30 (Congregational)
- Central United Methodist Church, Detroit, First Methodist and First Protestant congregation. Established 1810. Their first church building was built in 1818. In 2010 they celebrated their 200th Anniversary.
Minnesota
- Saint Peter's Church (Mendota, Minnesota), Oldest church in continuous use in Minnesota, built in 1853 (Roman Catholic)
- Wabasha United Church of Christ, Oldest Protestant congregation, founded in 1857 (Congregational)
- First Presbyterian Church (Stillwater, Minnesota), oldest Presbyterian congregation, founded December 8, 1849.
Missouri
- In 1799, the first Protestant sermon and baptism immersion west of the Mississippi River was performed in Randol Creek near modern-day Dutchtown, Missouri.[17]
- Fee Fee Baptist Church in Bridgeton, Oldest Protestant church congregation, founded in 1807 (Baptist)
- McKendree Chapel, a log cabin style chapel built in 1819 known as the oldest Protestant church standing west of the Mississippi River; the church was organized in 1809 (Methodist)
- St. Ferdinand's Shrine, Oldest church building, built in 1821 (Roman Catholic)
- St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Kansas City, is the oldest Episcopal Church congregation in Missouri, founded in 1857
- First Baptist Church of St. Louis, founded as First African Baptist Church, is the oldest continuously operating black church in Missouri; founded in 1817 by two Baptist missionaries. First African American pastor, John Berry Meachum, a former slave. http://www.firstbaptistchurchstlouis.org/
Mississippi
- Woodville Baptist Church, Oldest church building, built in 1809 (Baptist)
Montana
- St. Mary's Mission (Montana), Oldest church congregation, founded in 1841 (Roman Catholic)
- First Baptist Church in Stevensville, Possibly oldest Protestant church building, built in 1882 (Baptist)
- Melville Lutheran Church, oldest Lutheran congregation, founded in 1885, church building still in use (Lutheran)
Nebraska
- First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue, Oldest church building, built in 1856 (Presbyterian)[18]
Nevada
- First Presbyterian Church of Carson City, Oldest church building, built in 1864 (Presbyterian)
New Hampshire
- First Parish Church in Dover, Oldest congregation founded in 1632 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
- Newington Meeting House is the oldest church building in New Hampshire (1717, Congregational).
New Jersey
- St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Oldest church building, built in 1703 (Episcopal)
- Old Bergen Church, Oldest church congregation, founded in 1660 (Reformed)
New Mexico
- First Presbyterian Church in Santa Fe, founded in 1867, Oldest Protestant Church congregation in New Mexico (Presbyterian)
- San Miguel Mission, Oldest church building, built in 1610 (Roman Catholic)
- San Juan de los Caballeros/San Juan Bautista, Established 1598, second oldest foundation in the United States (Roman Catholic)
New York
- Marble Collegiate Church, Oldest congregation founded in 1628 (building 1851) (Reformed)
- Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, Oldest church building, built in 1685 (Reformed)
North Carolina
- St. Thomas Episcopal Church (Bath, North Carolina), Oldest church building, built in 1734 (Episcopal)
North Dakota
- First Presbyterian Church of Bismarck, Oldest congregation, founded in 1873 (Presbyterian)
- Glencoe Presbyterian Church, Oldest church building used by original congregation, built in 1885 (Presbyterian)
- First Congregation, Assumption Catholic Church in Pembina, 1818
Ohio
- West Union Presbyterian Church, Oldest church building still in use as a church, built in 1810 (Presbyterian)
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church, South Bass Island, Oldest wooden church building still in use as a church, built in 1865 (Episcopal)
Oklahoma
- Wheelock Church, Oldest church building, built in 1846 (Presbyterian)
Ottawa Indian Baptist Church founded in march of 1840 estb. built in Oklahoma in March 1860
Oregon
- St. Paul Roman Catholic Church (St. Paul, Oregon), Oldest church building, built in 1846 (Roman Catholic)
- Oregon City United Methodist Church, Oldest Protestant church, founded in 1844 (Methodist)
Pennsylvania
- Merion Friends Meeting House, oldest church building in Pennsylvania (1695), Merion Station (Quaker).
- New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gilbertsville,Pennsylvania, built in 1700 (Lutheran/Episcopal)
- Gloria Dei (Old Swedes' Church), second oldest church building, built in 1700 (Lutheran/Episcopal)
- Beulah Presbyterian Church 2500 McCrady Road, Pittsburgh PA 15235, Since 1784 [19]
- Old St. George's Methodist Church, built in 1769, America's first and oldest continuously used Methodist church in the world.
- African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, founded 1792, oldest black Episcopal congregation in the United States (Episcopal)
- Mother Bethel AME Church, oldest African Methodist Episcopal congregation, founded 1794 (African Methodist Episcopal)
- African Methodist Episcopal Church, first African-American denomination in the United States, founded in 1816 (African Methodist Episcopal)
- Old Trinity Church, one of the oldest churches in Philadelphia, erected 1711 (Episcopal)
- St. David's (Radnor) Episcopal Church, erected 1715 (Episcopal)
Puerto Rico
- Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, Oldest church building, built in 1521 (Roman Catholic)
- San Jose Church, Iglesia de San Jose, was constructed in the 1530s by Dominican friars for use by their Saint Thomas Aquinas monastery. The church is located in Old San Juan. (Roman Catholic)
- Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Ponce, Oldest Protestant church, founded in 1872 (Anglican)
Rhode Island
- First Baptist Church in America, oldest congregation in RI, founded in 1638 (building 1775) (Baptist).
- Six Principle Baptist Church, one of the oldest Baptist church buildings in the U.S., built in 1703, (Baptist)
- Trinity Church, Newport, oldest Anglican congregation in RI, founded in 1698 (building 1726) (Episcopal).
- Great Friends Meeting House, oldest church building in RI, built in 1699 (Quaker).
- Old Narragansett Church, Wickford, oldest Episcopal church building in New England (1707).
South Carolina
- St. Philip's Episcopal Church (Charleston, South Carolina), oldest Episcopal congregation south of Virginia, founded 1681 (Episcopal)
- First Baptist Church (Charleston, South Carolina), oldest Baptist congregation in the South, founded in 1682 (Baptist)
- Presbyterian Church on Edisto - 1685[20]
- St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Charleston, South Carolina), Oldest church building, built in 1706 (Episcopal)
- Silver Bluff Baptist Church, oldest black Baptist congregation in the nation, founded 1774-1775 (Baptist)
- St. James Church (Goose Creek, South Carolina), built in 1719 (Episcopal)[21]
South Dakota
- Renner Lutheran Church, Oldest operating church building, built in 1878 (Lutheran)
Tennessee
- Sinking Creek Baptist Church, Oldest church building, Oldest congregation and building, founded in 1772 (Baptist)
- Suggs Creek Cumberland Presbyterian, First Confession of Faith of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was adopted in 1814, Suggs Creek church founded in 1800 (Cumberland Presbyterian)
- Double Springs Baptist Church (Sullivan County), Founded in 1786 by Jonathan Mulkey
- First Presbyterian Church (Greeneville, Tennessee), oldest congregation in Greene County, founded in 1780 by Rev. Samuel Doak
Texas
- Cathedral of San Fernando, Possibly oldest church building, built 1738-1750 (Roman Catholic)
- McMahan Chapel in St. Augustine, the oldest Protestant church congregation in Texas, founded in 1833 (Methodist)
- San Felipe United Methodist Church, the oldest Protestant church building in Texas, built in 1838 (Methodist)
- Ysleta Mission, Possibly the oldest continuous congregation, founded in 1680 (Roman Catholic)
- Our Lady of Loreto Chapel, at the Presidio La Bahia, Goliad, founded in 1779 (Roman Catholic)
Utah
- Bountiful Tabernacle, Oldest Mormon Tabernacle, built in 1857 (Mormon)
- First Congregational Church, Salt Lake City, first non-LDS church in the state, 1865
- St. Mark's Cathedral, Salt Lake City, Oldest non-LDS Church building, built in 1871 (Episcopal)
Vermont
- First Congregational Church of Bennington, Oldest congregation, founded in 1762 (Congregational)
- Rockingham Meeting House, one of the two oldest church buildings, built in 1787 (Congregational)
- Thetford Meeting House, Thetford Hill, one of the two oldest church buildings, built in 1787 (Congregational)
Virginia
- St. John's Episcopal Church (Hampton, Virginia), Oldest English-speaking parish in continuous existence in the United States of America, founded in 1610 (Episcopal)[8]
- St. Luke's Church, Oldest complete church building, built 1682; this date, however, is controversial. The church interprets the extant physical evidence as indicating 1632[22] (Episcopal).
- Slash Church or Slash Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Oldest wooden frame church building in Virginia, built in 1729
- First Baptist Church (Petersburg, Virginia), contends as the oldest organized black Baptist congregation, organized 1774 (Baptist)
- Kempsville Baptist Church (Virginia Beach, Virginia), Established with the Baptist Association on May 21, 1814
- Old Chapel (Clarke County, Virginia) Oldest Episcopal church still in use west of the Blue Ridge Mountains; current building built 1790
- St. John's Church (Richmond, Virginia), Oldest wooden church building, built 1741
- Jerusalem Christian Church (1791), King William Virginia, oldest congregtion affiliated with the Christian Churches and churches of Christ. It was once affiliated with the Disciples of Christ.
Washington
- Claquato Church, Possibly the oldest church building in the state, built in 1857 (Methodist)
- St. Luke's Episcopal Church, oldest Episcopal congregation, continuously from 1860
Washington, D.C.
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rock Creek Parish (Washington, D.C.), Oldest congregation and oldest church building, founded in 1717, current building constructed in 1775, but incorporating parts of the 1717 structure (Episcopal)
West Virginia
- Rehoboth Church, oldest church building, built in 1785 (Methodist), and oldest church building west of the main range of the Allegheny Mountains.
Wisconsin
- Methodist Episcopal Church in Mineral Point, Oldest Protestant congregation in Wisconsin, founded in 1834 (Methodist)
- St. Gabriel’s Church, Oldest church building built in Wisconsin, built in 1835 (Roman Catholic)
- St. Joan of Arc's Chapel, Oldest church building in Wisconsin, built in 15th century Chasse, France; moved to Wisconsin 1965 (Roman Catholic)
Wyoming
- First United Methodist Church (Cheyenne, Wyoming), Possibly the oldest church congregation, founded in 1869 (Methodist)
See also
- Oldest buildings in the United States
- Oldest synagogues in the United States
- Oldest churches in the world
Old St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church was founded in 1733. It has always been staffed by Jesuit priest. Founded by Fr. Greaton.
External links and references
- ↑ http://www.nosfarchives.org/sanmiguel.html
- ↑ Nellie Urner Wallington , Historic Churches of America, 1907, p. 8
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Old Trinity Church HABS MD No. 201" (PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey. US National Park Service. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
- ↑ "Old Ship Church", National Park Service
- ↑ W. Eugene Kleinbauer, Modern Perspectives in Western Art History: An Anthology, Medieval Academy of America, 1989, p. 315
- ↑ National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings, 1970
- ↑ Fischer 1994, p. 99.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Tormey, James (April 2009). How Firm a Foundation. Richmond, VA: Diets Press. p. 184. ISBN 978-0-87517-135-7.
- ↑ http://www.ruralswalabama.org/attractions/indian-springs-baptist-church-ca-1825-near-mcwilliams-al/
- ↑ Patsy Pipkin, "Walk Through History event brings to life memories of Smyrna Church", Arkansas Online, 13 Dec 2009, accessed 27 Sep 2010
- ↑ "Restoration Almost Complete for Arkansas 85", Texarkana Gazette, 27 Sep 2010, accessed 27 Sep 2010
- ↑ Hostetter, Lance. "Prayer, worship and community keep Conejos flock strong". Valley Courier. NewsMedia Corp., Alamosa, Colorado. Retrieved 25 Nov 2012.
- ↑ "History & Description of St. John's".
- ↑ "First Parish Church". Meeting House History. First Parish Congregational Church of York. 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
- ↑ Farmer, John (1838). "Memoirs of Ministers". In E. Cornelius (and others). Quarterly register and journal of the American education society. The American quarterly register.
- ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_United_Methodist_Church_%28Detroit%29
- ↑ "Anniversaries in 1949 of Events Recorded in The Missourian Files". Southeast Missouri (Cape Girardeau, Missouri). January 29, 1949.
- ↑ http://1stpresbvue.org/
- ↑ http://www.beulahpresby.org/
- ↑ http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/charleston-county/edisto-island-presbyterian.html
- ↑ James Dillon (23 April 1976). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: St. James' Church, Goose Creek" (PDF). National Park Service. and Accompanying five photos, exterior and interior, from 1975 and 1970 PDF (32 KB)
- ↑ http://www.historicstlukes.org/history/