St. Paul's Evangelical Protestant Church in Wheeling

St. Paul's Evangelical Protestant Church was organized September 6, 1867. For the first year, worship services were held in the old Methodist Church located on the corner of 37th and Jacob Streets, and later at the Third Presbyterian Church, 3806 Jacob St., while the first church building was being constructed. Located at the corner of 38th and Wood Streets, the structure was dedicated October 31, 1868.

Organized as a church for the German immigrant population of South Wheeling, St. Paul's Church governed itself independently and separately from any denominational affiliation, securing its ministers independently, most of them migrating from Germany. Services and Sunday School were conducted in the German language through 1897. 

In 1875, a number of families severed their connection with the church and organized another German church, St. Stephen's, which is located at 36th and Eoff Streets.

Having outgrown the first church structure, a second church building was erected on the site of the first, which held its final service on October 26, 1924. The cornerstone of the new church was placed on Sunday, April 4, 1925, and the second building was dedicated December 13, 1925. 

In May of 1910 St. Paul's Church became a member of the Evangelical Synod of North America. Upon the merger of the Evangelical Synod of North America and the Reformed Church of the United States, in 1937, the name of the church was changed to St. Paul's Evangelical and Reformed Church. In 1957 the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches of the United States merged. St. Paul's Evangelical and Reformed Church became St. Paul's United Church of Christ on June 25, 1957. 

Location

▶ NW corner of 38th and Wood Streets, South Wheeling (3741 Wood Street)

Images

Articles

Additional Resources

Materials in the Library's Wheeling Room: (non-circulating, ask for access at the reference desk.)

Materials in the Library Archives: (non-circulating - access by appointment only, call 304-232-0244.) 

▶Archives vertical file: St. Paul's Evangelical Church. | View a digital copy of photograph.