1904 - Atco United Methodist Church - Atco, NJ - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

The cornerstone was tough to find; it is faded, bleached and barely stood out against the original rough stone foundation. It was hard to read but it clearly said A D 1904 which led to the creation of this waymark. The stone is to the left of the entrance along Atco Avenue, on the corner of the entranceway recess and about two and a half feet off of the ground. The cornerstone for the new church was laid during a special ceremony in 1904. Among its contents are a Bible, several testaments, an Epworth League pin, the town paper of Atco and samples of currency. There are no plans to open the cornerstone.

This quaint church is located at the intersection of Carl Hasselhan Drive and Atco Avenue. The church is a frame structure consisting of the church sanctuary, Sunday School Room, another small classroom and a library. When the Sunday School grew too large for the original room, the primary department was moved to the basement.

A simple bell tower rises over the top of the entrance. It is completely vinyl sided, has a neat little window half way up and stops at a louvered top with a covering which looks more like a Chinese pagoda than a roof. The tower is perfectly rectangular, all the way up to the top, which gives way to a point at the roof. The tower is the tallest structure in the area and looms over the surrounding housing tract.

I was struck most by the amount of stained glass which I found completely covering every window. They glass is unusually colorful and in pristine condition depicting various Biblical scenes. Another feature, much more simpler, is the pale blue trim which around all the windows which is in sharp contrast to the stark white throughout.

Additional information from the church's site about the stained glass: Stained glass windows were donated in memory of the people whose names appear on them. A quick scan around the church today reveals eleven windows with the following names enshrined in a monument of multi-colored hue: Mrs. Elizabeth Tusy; John J. Githens and wife; Mrs. Emma Kline, Deborah Richards; Marjorie Chambosse; Fernley C. Van Schoick; Joseph, Elisha, Katie and Joly Cook and Mrs. Joseph Eldridge. To the left and right of the pulpit, as if in special placement, are two stained glass windows bearing the names of Sarah A. Richards and “In Memory” of John Richards. The window near the choir loft – with the names of Thomas J. and Helen M. Baizley – is different from the others because it is older and was taken from the Universalist Church.

Address
2128 Atco Avenue
Atco, NJ 08004-1924
(856) 767-0477

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