The Mountain State is rich with places of worship. Throughout history, the church has not only been a place of worship, but also a sacred spot where neighbors come together as whole to congregate, to celebrate, and to mourn. The oldest such church in the entire state dates all the way back to three years after the end of the American Revolution. It was built in 1786 - and still stands!
The hand-hewn log church located just outside of Union, West Virginia sits underneath a recently constructed shelter designed to help preserve this sacred piece of American history.
The congregation of the Methodist Rehoboth Church began in a schoolhouse two years prior to the construction of the modest church. As the parish grew, so did their need for a more permanent solution to their meeting space.
A little-known fact about the oldest church is that it sits on land that was donated to the congregation by a Roman Catholic who was sympathetic to the community.
The tiny church, measuring just 12-by-29 feet, was bigger than most homes in the day and even had a gallery. The pews were simple hand-hewn benches.
A modest pulpit is located at the far end of the church from the entrance. The website for the church and museum notes that regular sermons were held at Rehoboth Church for more than a century. It stands to reason that the congregation eventually outgrew the tiny space.
As if the historic structure of the oldest church weren't endearing enough, the old graves — their placement, in particular — that surround Rehoboth Church are filled with intrigue. For starters, there seems to be no organized plots; some graves abut the church as if the departed would have been buried inside if rules would have allowed.
Findagrave.com currently lists 95 specific memorials for the old Rehoboth Cemetery, including the generous Roman Catholic man who donated the land for the church: Edward Keenan, born in 1742 in Ireland and died in 1826.
Did you know about this lovely and historic old church in West Virginia? It's the oldest church west of the Allegheny Mountains.
Rehoboth Church and Museum is open seasonally from April 1 through October 31. The hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It's located two miles outside of Union at Rehoboth Church Rd., Union, WV 24983. Learn more at this link.
Want to explore another beautiful old log cabin church? Keep reading here!
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