News & announcements
Saving your history
Early accounts
Maps
Nearby towns
People
Churches
Schools
Municipal
Organizations
Businesses
The mines
Transportation
Streets
Buildings
Entertainment
Celebrations
Sports
Ethnic groups
St. John's Reformed United Church of Christ
St. John's
Reformed United Church of Christ - Located at
Washington and Chestnut
Streets, St. John's Reformed United Church of Christ was founded in the
late 1880s, as documented by its cornerstone. According to notes from
Charles
Stumpf, in 1877 when St. Luke's
Lutheran church was established in Freeland,
members of the reformed faith attended services there. They withdrew
from St. Luke's in 1882 and formed their own congregation, originally
calling it St. John's Union Church. 
At
left, a photo postcard showing the first church building, built in the
1880s. I'm assuming that the current cornerstone was first used for
this earlier building, then re-used when the church building was torn
down and a new one built on the same site, although it's also possible
that a new one was made for the new building but citing the original
building's date. At right is the new building, dedicated on April 15,
1934.
City directory listings:1897 - German Reformed church, Chestnut cor Washington, H. A. I. Benner, pastor (home Washington near Front)
1921- St. John's Reformed Church - Washington cor Chestnut (Rev. Albert O. Bartholomew, pastor)
1928 - St. John's Ref. Church - 841 Washington (listed in Polk directory)
[Shown at right: detail from 1900 Sanborn map showing church location.]
This
confirmation class photograph and booklet come through the
courtesy of Beth Learn, who wrote: "The Confirmation Group photo for
St.
John's Reformed Church was
made in about March 1931 as per the Certificate in Dad's Confirmation
booklet which I have scanned for you. No photographer mentioned
but the Minister looks to be a George Kohler (signature). Daddy would
have just turned 15 years old."