First Methodist Church Spire (JU3010) - Mt. Holly, NJ - U.S. Benchmarks on Waymarking.com

The church is most identified by its gargantuan steeple which doubles as an official benchmark. The steeple rises sharply off of the bell tower. The steeple has tightly placed gray shingles which are uniform and gives the steeple a smooth, unbroken appearance. At the top of this four-sided pyramid are triangular, red windows which are off-set from the structure and stick out about a foot or so. There is an ornate wooden design which wraps around the top which gives way to a cross, which tops off the whole thing.

I found the 1933 survey of the steeple. It reads: DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1933 (GLA) THIS STATION IS THE TIP OF THE SPIRE OF THE FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND BUTTONWOOD STREET ON N SIDE OF AN UNNAMED STREET BETWEEN GARDEN AND MILL STREETS. THE CHURCH IS A BROWN STONE BUILDING WITH A BROWN STONE BELFRY ON SW CORNER. ABOVE THE BELFRY IS A SQUARE SLATE-COVERED SPIRE WITH A FANCY CARVED BROWN WOOD TIP. THE CHURCH WAS ERECTED IN 1883.

This Methodist church dates from the mid-nineteenth century. The church grew into a large-developed congregation. In 1832, having met in homes and in borrowed meetinghouses, the congregation erected its present home on Brainerd Street, which was enlarged and remodeled into the present Methodist facility in 1892. There is a large, block, cornerstone on the lower right side of the church which bears the date 1883. It is red and stands out from the surrounding gray-brown-dark red brick. The cornerstone is reminiscent of a large-city church having huge blocks of construction as well as the big block cornerstone.

The bell tower rises over the left side of the building. There is an entrance off to the side under it. Large, oblong windows are set into the structure which is approximately three stories. These windows are glazed and have stained glass in the middle. The windows are on three sides. The fourth side is flush against the church. The top floor of the tower has three sets of louvered windows, three sides around. Each sides has two, tall pairs, side by side. The very top which is connected to the steeple has a stone frieze of sorts which is geometrical in design and features a zig-zag pattern around all three-sides.

I appreciated the front, central entrance. It has a double gothic design arching over the top of the door with a sharp gable topping it all off. The door is of red wood, solid and sturdy to be sure and as old as the church. One last feature besides the door is the roof. It is bright red and distinguishes itself by its sheer size and color from every other structure in this community. In my visit to this town, it was easily the most identifiable and recognizable building.

Address
25 Brainerd Street
Mount Holly, NJ 08060

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