Carbondale in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Faith and Family: Houses of Worship

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 1, 2025

1. Faith and Family: Houses of Worship Marker

Inscription.

[Illustration captions, clockwise from top left, read]
First United Methodist Church · Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church
Covenant Reformed Church · First Presbyterian Church · Berean Baptist Church

The many houses of worship in Carbondale testify to the cultural diversity of immigrants from Great Britain (Wales, Scotland, England, Ireland) and continental Europe who came here in the 19th and 20th centuries searching for a better life for themselves and their families.

Founded in 1829, the First Presbyterian Church was the first organized church in Carbondale. St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church opened its doors in 1832. Early congregations, like that of the First United Methodist Church, would gather in homes for services. In 1830, there were three Welsh churches in Carbondale, and services were conducted in Welsh as late as 1900.

On March 1, 1848, the Berean Baptist Church was organized in Carbondale. On March 13, 1848, the Reverend Daniel E. Bowen became the first pastor.

The Delaware & Hudson Canal Co. donated land for these early churches.

Erected by Lackawanna Heritage Valley NHA, Carbondale Historical

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Society, and PA DCNR.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Immigration • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is March 1, 1848.

Location. 41° 34.342′ N, 75° 30.059′ W. Marker is in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, in Lackawanna County. It is on Church Street north of 6th Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20 North Church Street, Carbondale PA 18407, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Wyoming Valley

and in Greater Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Church Street: Five of Carbondale’s many historic Churches

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 1, 2025

2. Faith and Family: Houses of Worship Marker

Methodist Church in background

(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); General Jerome F. O’Malley (about 400 feet away); War Memorial (about 400 feet away); Col. Alvin D. Ungerleider (about 400 feet away); Memorial Park (about 400 feet away); Global War on Terror Memorial of Remembrance (about 400 feet away); Carbondale City Hall and Courthouse (about 500 feet away); Carbondale City Hall and Public Library (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Carbondale.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Carbondale City Hall / Memorial Park (was about 500 feet away but has been permanently removed).

Credits. This page was last revised on October 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 43 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 1, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.