Newark Union Church

Newark Union Church. . According to the original ledger book, a group representing prominent Brandywine Hundred families met on March 8, 1845. They established a subscription fund to erect a church building they would name Newark Union. The building was staked out on August 2, 1845, and dedicated on January 4, 1846. The stone architecture of the one-room, two story meeting house demonstrates continuity of building practices in Delaware's Piedmont region. By the end of the year, the building was open for meetings of the Quaker community; Saturdays for the exchange of goods and Sundays for worship services.

On February 26, 1885, the Newark Union Church trustees requested entrance into the Wilmington Methodist Episcopal Conference, inaugurating an era of exclusive use of the church by Methodists, even though the building technically remained community property. In 1906, the congregation led by Nelson L. Talley began a campaign to repair, renovate and restyle the building, converting the fieldstone church into a modest Gothic Revival-style building that you see today.

By 1951, the congregation outgrew the building and established the Aldersgate Methodist Church on Concord Pike in Wilmington. After use by an evangelistic congregation between 1957 and 1970, the church was left empty until restoration work began in 2020.

On both the inside and the outside of the building, you will see original craftsmanship from 1845 and 1906. The stone walls, hand hewn beams and other wood structures inside are all evidence of the original Quaker building. The Gothic lancet windows, whitewashed stucco and foyer construction highlight the three main changes made by the Methodists.

Enjoy your time here at the Newark Union Church and Cemetery and thank you for visiting.

(Captions):
Page 1 of Ledger Book - March 8, 1845
1849 Map - Samuel M. Rea and Jacob Price
South View - 1890's
North View - 1890's
Renovation - 1906
Courtesy of Delaware Public Archives