| Description |
The Little White Church is noted to be the oldest church within the present confines of the Borough of Palmerton. It dates to 1844 when it was organized by Reverend Jacob Snyder as an Evangelical Congregation. Reverend Snyder donated land from his farm and Jacob Bauman donated $700.00 for the construction of the building.
After its formation, the congregation of the Little White Church experienced many changes. During the Civil War, as a matter of convenience, a class from Reverend Snyder's congregation decided to meet in a mill in the village of Millport. Later, in 1894, a disgruntled group of worshipers left with the intent to organize their own congregation leaving the remaining membership of the Little White Church to join other congregations.
Meanwhile, the group that was meeting in that mill in the village of Millport (later renamed Aquashicola) came to be known as the Millport Class. The size of the Millport Class increased to the point where it became necessary to construct a church building to accommodate everyone. This new church was named Salem Evangelical Church.
In time, however, the name changed from Salem Evangelical Church to Salem Evangelical United Brethren Church as a result of a union between the Evangelical Church and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.
Yet in 1968, the name again changed from Salem Evangelical United Brethren Church to Salem United Methodist Church due to a merger between the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church.
Ultimately, the group known as the Millport Class, that began as a part of Reverend Snyder's original Evangelical Congregation is now known as the Salem United Methodist Church and is located in what is now known as the village of Aquashicola.
As per the disgruntled group of worshipers who disassociated with Reverend Snyder's Evangelical Congregation in 1894, they met in the Little Gap Schoolhouse on Church Street. Their intention was to meet in the schoolhouse until they could build a new church on Church Street. However, in the interim, this group experienced rapid growth in its membership and so decided to find a more central location to build their new church.
Located on Third Street between Lafayette and Franklin Avenues, their new building, Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church, was dedicated in 1917. After a lengthy period of time, the congregation has changed to the present Living Hope Lighthouse Church.
Today the Little White Church is not home to any specific congregation; however, it has come alive and is actively being used once again.
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For additional information about the Little White Church, return to the main page and click the various links, or call 610-824-6954, or Email: contactus@palmertonhistorical.org.
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