The Steeple & Spire @ St. James Lutheran Church - Hellam, PA - Unique Steeples on Waymarking.com

This is one of the most beautiful, unique and majestic accompaniment to a church one might fine along historic Lincoln Highway. The spire/steeple and tower are 115 years old and the bell still resonates up and down the street with such clarity.

The church is beautiful and located on a very historic section of Hellam/Hallam. The arched light over the off-centered front door, the gorgeous church bell open and with its wrap-around porch and the towering spire with its weathervane like top all lend the grace and beauty that makes this church a Lincoln Highway attraction. The bell tower rises off the front porch/entrance and has a louvered, rectangular base which gives way to the open air, octagonal, Grecian cupola which houses the bell. About the cupola is a walking platform with white balustrades. Atop the cupola is a black spire/steeple, made of metal and narrows at the end. It is entirely a conical shape, with a octagonal base resembling a helmet which matches the adjoining cupola at its bottom. Its top features a very unique and unusual cross which at the rights angle resembles a weather vane of the likes of which I have never seen.

A large gray stone bears the 1894 date along with an inscription which reads "Evan. Luth. Church Hellam" is located in the front right of the building, next to the handrail and obscured by bushes. It is made of some kind of hewn white stone and is set into a stone foundation. At 115 years of age, the church is still a very important part of this historic community.

This distinguished old church witnessed the construction of the Pennsylvania section of the historic Lincoln Highway which occurred between 1913 &1928. A large German population, this Lutheran church is a natural reflection of this immigration wave.

From the Church website:

"Although St. James, the congregation, is over 260 years old, St. James, the building, is just 110 years old. On Sunday, September 23, 1894, St James was dedicated and the dedication was followed with a week of services in which different pastors from York participated.

The twentieth century brought changes to the church building. A picture of Luther was removed from the pulpit, probably before 1920, and a painting of Christ in Gethsemane by local artist, Wayne Crumling, placed on the wall.

The pipe organ was added to the church in 1936 during the pastorate of Glenn T. Hafer. Even though the 30’s were Depression years and money was very tight, there were many in the congregation who unselfishly sought to place an organ into the church. To that end, they collected nickels, dimes, quarters, fifty cent pieces, and an occasional dollar. By 1936, enough money was collected and F. J. Furst of York was commissioned to design and build an organ. A variety of parts were used, both old and new, including a Model T starter. The cost of the organ at that time was $1,050.00.

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