Bethel Park in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Bethel Presbyterian Church

American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Site

Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, May 1, 2011

1. Bethel Presbyterian Church Marker

Inscription. Founded 1776, in the Old Stone Manse in South Park, by Reverend John McMillan, pioneer minister and educator. It is the mother of five nearby churches and has given its name to the community. In the cemetery, 14 Revolutionary War soldiers from this area are buried.

Erected 1951 by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. (Marker Number 58.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Churches & Religion • War, US Revolutionary. In addition, it is included in the American Presbyterian and Reformed Historic Sites, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1776.

Location. 40° 20.186′ N, 80° 2.874′ W. Marker is in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, in Allegheny County. Marker is on Bethel Church Road east of Marshall Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2999 Bethel Church Road, Bethel Park PA 15102, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Second Division (approx. 2.4 miles away); Private (First Class) Edmund M. Wilson (approx. 2.4 miles away); The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic (approx. 2.4 miles away); Washington Infantry

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(approx. 2.4 miles away); Edward Vose Babcock (approx. 2.4 miles away); Memorial to Joyce Kilmer (approx. 2.4 miles away); Honorable William Flinn (approx. 2.4 miles away); Alexander Negley (approx. 2.4 miles away).

Regarding Bethel Presbyterian Church. Bethel Presbyterian Church is one of 445 American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Sites registered between 1973 and 2003 by the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS), headquartered in Philadelphia. Approved sites received a metal plaque featuring John Calvin’s seal and the site’s registry number (PHS marker location unknown).

The following text is taken from the Presbyterian Historical Society website:

Rev. John McMillan, D.D., a missionary in Western Pennsylvania, noted in his diary on November 5, 1776, "Tuesday preached at Peter's Creek, baptized five children." This date is the first recorded date of a preaching service in what is now Bethel Presbyterian Church. Originally known as the Peter's Creek congregation, the congregation eventually divided into two, the Eastern Division and the Western Division. Sometime between October 18, 1785 and April 18, 1786, the name of the Eastern Division was changed to Lebanon and the name of
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, May 1, 2011

2. Bethel Presbyterian Church Marker
the Western Division was changed to Bethel. Bethel Presbyterian Church was officially incorporated on March 11, 1907. The current building was erected and dedicated in May 1910.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 6, 2018. It was originally submitted on May 1, 2011, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,062 times since then and 50 times this year. Last updated on August 23, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 1, 2011, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.