From stained class windows to bell towers, the Palmerton Historical Society and Palmerton Area Churches held a tour last weekend, showing chuches’ beauty and spirit.

Today we’re highlighting some of the churches. Next week, we’ll feature the rest from the tour.

St. John’s Episcopal

St John’s Church of Palmerton

365 Lafayette Ave.

Known as the “The Beautiful Stone Church at the Top of the Park,” Palmerton’s town founder, Stephen S Palmer, in 1905, commissioned the church built in memory of his late wife, Susan Flanders Price Palmer.

The architect, Henry Hardenberg, also designed the Wal-Dorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C. and other prominent hostelries. The general contour of the structure and its interior arrangement is patterned after a village church in old England and is considered by many artists to be an “architectural gem.”

In September 1905 in the midst of a notable gathering of people, the cornerstone of St. John’s Church was laid. On Oct. 11, 1906 St. John’s was consecrated. In 1934 a parish house was built in which Sunday school and social activities were held.

The Westminster peel of bells and the East and West Tiffany windows constitute great works of art. The windows in the nave of the church are memorials to the many who have contributed to the growth of Palmerton. The window of St. Luke honors a long time and beloved rector Rev. George McKinley, 1925 to 1960.

Emmanuel United Church of Christ

509 Hamilton St.

Bowmanstown

Emmanuel United Church of Christ was founded in January 1903 as part of the Towamensing parish and worshipped in the Evangelical Church (Trinity ELCA Bowmanstown) for approximately three years until the current building was completed.

The church was renovated in 1924 which included the fellowship hall in the basement, painting, and other upgrades to the sanctuary. In 1928 the church was once again enlarged to include the recessed altar including fixtures, two Sunday school rooms one on each side of the recessed altar, and chambers above the two rooms for an organ. In 1954 the church was again updated through painting, electrical, and new heating system. At this time a Conn Electronic Organ was installed.

The church remained largely unchanged until 1979/1980 when protective coverings were placed over the stained glass windows, metal siding was placed over the original wood siding and the sanctuary was painted eliminating the stenciled ceilings and walls in favor of the neutral paint scheme visible today.

In 1994 renovations included the vestibule, expansion of the kitchen, addition of four Sunday school rooms, and an office for the secretary/pastor.

On Christmas Eve the congregation celebrates with a candle light service at 10 p.m. followed by light refreshments, favorite Christmas treats and the ringing of the bell to herald in the Christ Child.

St. Vladimir Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

106 Delaware Ave.

Palmerton

The first influx of Ukrainian immigrants into Palmerton began in 1905. Twenty-Five families came to work for New Jersey Zinc. Most of these pioneers were from the Ukrainian provinces of Galicia and Bukovina and were known as Ukrainians. Others from Podharpatska province were known as Rusins.

Both groups attended services in Northampton, Lansford and Nesquehoning in order to worship in their own Byzantine Rite rather than in the unfamiliar Roman Rite. By 1914 the number of Ukrainians and Rusins coming to Palmerton increased considerably with the onset of World War I. By 1915 the two groups decided to build the Sts. Peter and Paul Church on Church Street.

However, in May 1918 the Ukrainians separated from the Rusins and decided to establish their own parish. Land was purchased from the Palmer Land Company on the corner of Delaware Avenue and First Street for $1,200. In order to reduce expenses, the parishioners dug the foundation by hand.

The unique cross on its spires places the Turkish crescent beneath the cross. It signifies the defeat of the Turks, who had conquered the Ukrainian people, near Kiev in the 13th century.

Bethany Wesleyan Church, Palmerton Campus

457 Delaware Ave

Bethany Wesleyan Church began as a Pilgrim Holiness Church in 1925 in Cherryville, eventually merging with the Wesleyan denomination.

Pastor Kevin Fetterhoff has been serving as lead pastor since January of 2003 and has shared the vision of being one church in many locations.

The BWC Lehighton Campus launched on Easter Sunday 2018 at the Lehighton Middle School. In October 2019, the former Franklin Elementary School was purchased and services transferred there in July 2020.

The church was approached to buy the First United Church of Christ on Delaware Avenue in Palmerton.

BWC Palmerton launched on Nov. 24, 2019.

Much of the building has been renovated to bring a refreshed look.

The fellowship area downstairs was transforms into a gym space where activities such as volleyball and pickle ball take place. The Hub has a cafe feel where people have coffee and fellowship on a Sunday morning, as well as classes during the week. A patio and picnic tables were added for use by the congregation and those passing by.

Holy Trinity Lutheran

502 Lafayette Ave.

The first Lutheran services in town were held in the Prutzman building on Delaware Avenue in 1901. Shortly after losing a pastor, a fire destroyed the hall and the church’s property. The little congregation became discouraged and disbanded.

In January 1911, preaching services began in the Nickelodeon (later occupied by Keystone Savings Bank on Delaware) with eight original members in attendance. Services were then held in the Snyder Hall (now the site of Spillane’s). The congregation signed a lease with the Evangelical Association to hold services at the “Little White Church” on Third Street and Columbia Ave. Services were held there until 1914.

In November 1912 the building lot on the corner of Fifth St and Lafayette Ave. was chosen for the site of the current church.

In March 1914 a ground breaking ceremony was held and only five and a half months later the basement was completed and dedicated.

Living Hope Lighthouse

705 Third St., Palmerton

This church was originally known as Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church. They began at the Little White Church in 1844 and worshipped there until 1894. On Oct. 7, 1894, members of St. Paul’s church of the Evangelical Association of Lehigh Gap held a meeting at the home of Mrs. Mary Shipe to form a new group. They were then known as Trinity Congregation of Lehigh Gap. They laid the cornerstone for the first building on April 10, 1896. Today, this building is used by the Russian Orthodox Church on Church Street.

While the present building was being built, worship services were held in the Palmerton Supply Co. building on Third Street. The church was known then as the United Evangelical Church. In 1922, the church affiliated with the Evangelical Congregational Church.

Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church closed on June 17, 2001, and a restart was planned, which became Living Hope Lighthouse Church.

Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church

243 Lafayette Ave.

The early history of Catholicity in Palmerton and its vicinity is obscure, although there is evidence that Holy Mass was celebrated here occasionally as early as 1740, when a Jesuit priest, Father Graeton, made his first missionary journey through Eastern PA.

In 1856, the old Fireline Church was built by a German Catholic congregation and served the Catholics of this vicinity; it was located at the intersection of Dairy Road and Fireline Road. That church burned down sometime before 1900.

After the fire, Holy Mass was celebrated in a hall located on Third Street and Delaware Avenue, until the first Sacred Heart Church was established in 1908 on the corner of Third and Lafayette.

In a few years, the congregation was able to support their own pastor and in 1913, the Rev. Rakowski became the first resident Catholic priest in Palmerton.

Over the years, the present rectory, school and burial grounds were purchased. In 1930, the current Parochial School building was completed. The present Sacred Heart Church, which stands on the site of the old church, was completed in 1957.

In 1977, the parishes of Assumption BVM, Slatington and St. Nicholas, Walnutport collaborated with the church in a joint mission to bring Catholic education to children of the area through Saint John Neumann Regional School. The Slatington campus serves children from kindergarten to second grade. Our campus in Palmerton serves children from third to eighth grade.

The Little White Church

911 Third St.

(Corner of Third Street and Columbia Avenue)

The church building dates to 1844 when it was founded as an Evangelical Congregation by the Rev. Jacob Snyder. The Rev. Snyder lived across the street and up the hill in the stone house at the corner of Third Street and Princeton Avenue.

His tombstone, and those of many of Palmerton’s early settlers, can be found in the historic graveyard behind the church, which is being repaired at the present time and is about one third complete with the help of a grant.

This church is the first built within the confines of what is now the borough of Palmerton, and about 50 years before property was being sought for a zinc works.

Although dedicated as an Evangelical Church, it served many different religious denominations. It is not used at this time and is owned by the Palmerton Historical Society.

It was home to the Hungarian, Slovak, Windish Lutheran congregation and afforded a place of worship for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (1911 to 1914) while awaiting the completion of their structure at Fifth and Lafayette Avenue.

For a time it was privately owned, then sold to the St Francis of Assisi Anglican Catholic Congregation.

In 1993 the Palmerton Area Historical Society purchased it from the First National Bank of Palmerton, and it became the first society-owned property. At one time, the building was even used as a school, and was used as a Society museum.

Through the use of grants and donations, the bell tower has been completely restored, the interior repaired and repainted, and recently, the exterior work was completed.

Repainting the outside has made it possible for the building to live up to its name of the “Little White Church.”