Walking Tour Stop 14

In 1827, a German Reformed congregation built a stone church at this location. At the time, a Methodist congregation was housed in a church on Church Alley. The location was not ideal due to boisterous behavior in the alley during church services and "offensive" odors coming from nearby stables. In 1833, the Methodist congregation decided to find a more suitable building and purchased the stone church. In addition to regular church services, the church was used for the matriculation, baccalaureate and commencement services of Dickinson College. When tensions arose within the congregation, a college-oriented group withdrew from the church and formed a second Methodist congregation.

In 1875, the two Methodist congregations decided to reunify. They tore down the stone church and replaced it with a two story brick church. Completed in 1877, it became known as the Centenary Church in recognition of the centenary of American Independence. The reunified Methodist congregation worshipped here for twelve more years until they decided to move closer to the Dickinson College campus. In 1889 the building was sold, and for the next 110 years it housed a variety of businesses.

In December 1999, a devastating fire caused severe damage to the old structure. The building, which is now known as the Centenary Building, was restored through a public-private partnership led by 3-T Investors, LLP.

Images courtesy of the Cumberland County Historical Society.

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Cumberland County Historical Society & Hamilton Library Association
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