Near Georgetown in Sussex County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
McColley's Chapel
Photographed By Pete Skillman
1. McColley's Chapel Marker
Inscription.
McColley's Chapel was built and dedicated in 1858 as a Methodist Church. Congregation members had previously worshipped in a small house on the opposite side of the road. James Redden, a member of the board of trustees, sold the property to the church in 1857 for one dollar. The original church building was constructed through the efforts of Reverend Truston P. McColley, a prominent farmer and businessman, who served as the first minister of the church. Initially a member of the Southern Methodist Church, McColley's Chapel joined the Ellendale Charge in 1873. In 1898 a new chapel was constructed on the same site after a fire destroyed the original structure. The Chapel remains much the same today as when it was built. It exemplifies the stylistic expression of 19th century Colonial Revival architecture and is typical of 18th and 19th century Methodist meeting houses which were all virtually identical in size, shape, massing, and scale. The design reflects Methodist beliefs of the era that chapels should be "built plain and decent, but not more expensive than is absolutely unavoidable." McColley's Chapel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011 and continues to serve the spiritual needs of the community.
McColley's Chapel was built and dedicated in 1858 as a Methodist Church. Congregation members had previously worshipped in a small house on the opposite side of the road. James Redden, a member of the board of trustees, sold the property to the church in 1857 for one dollar. The original church building was constructed through the efforts of Reverend Truston P. McColley, a prominent farmer and businessman, who served as the first minister of the church. Initially a member of the Southern Methodist Church, McColley's Chapel joined the Ellendale Charge in 1873. In 1898 a new chapel was constructed on the same site after a fire destroyed the original structure. The Chapel remains much the same today as when it was built. It exemplifies the stylistic expression of 19th century Colonial Revival architecture and is typical of 18th and 19th century Methodist meeting houses which were all virtually identical in size, shape, massing, and scale. The design reflects Methodist beliefs of the era that chapels should be "built plain and decent, but not more expensive than is absolutely unavoidable." McColley's Chapel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011 and continues to serve the spiritual needs of the community.
Erected 2012 by Delaware Public Archives. (Marker Number SC-231.)
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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Churches & Religion. In addition, it is included in the Delaware Public Archives series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1858.
Location. 38° 44.578′ N, 75° 25.93′ W. Marker is near Georgetown, Delaware, in Sussex County. Marker is on McColleys Chapel Road (County Road 213) just south of Redden Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 18168 Redden Rd, Georgetown DE 19947, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 24, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 15, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 207 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on October 18, 2022, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware.