First United Methodist Church of Mays Landing, NJ
N 39° 27.161 W 074° 43.713
18S E 523354 N 4367048
This church was rebuilt 39 years after the original church, which had burnt to the ground. There is a mid 19th century cemetery to the right as well. A cornerstone lists the original construction date and the rebuilt date.
Waymark Code: WMAA7W
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 12/12/2010
Views: 3
Architecturally, this church is not unlike others of the same era. You got your Gothic arched windows on various sides, a rectangular-prism shaped bell tower, enclosed and louverd topped with a pyramidal spire, shingled, white siding and a typical red door so prevalent in many of these small town churches. Unlike, most of these 19th century cookie-cutters, this one actually found the time to write a history and put it on line.
The detailed chronology of the church makes sense of the smooth, white cornerstone out front to the right. It bears two dates, 1849 and 1888. In the first year, a new church building was dedicated on the site of the current church. In 1888, a fire on February 4, destroyed the then existing building. Construction of a new building (the currently standing church) was begun that same year, and dedicated February 6, 1889. As the membership grew so did the church.
In 1913, a basement was built under the church. In doing so, the entire building was raised to accommodate the new basement. (Pretty amazing, even by today's standards, considering the engineering that has to go into such a feat.). In 1925 the parsonage was "rebuilt" (although exact details are lacking). Finally, in 1943, the dogwood trees (see photos) that grace our church property were planted in memory of four young men from the community. These men were killed as a result of a local forest fire sparked form a passing train.
I liked the church. It was clean, nice lines and architecturally pleasing, warm, friendly and well-tended to. The cemetery was well groomed and looked after and butted up to another cemetery belonging to another church right next door. This is an old community and although the church is only 122 years old, records indicate in the late 1770's, Methodist Reverend Benjamin Abbott preached in Mays Landing. Around this same time, the first church building (multi-denominational) in Mays Landing was built. In 1812, the land on which the current church stands, including an existing meeting house, was given by Richard Wescott, Sr. About circa 1820's, records show an organized Methodist Society existed in Mays Landing. Yup, this church and community has some serious roots, well over 200 years old, before we even declared our independence form England!
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