Today in Wheeling History: October 27--The Blue Church, originally St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, was consecrated (1837).
The Blue Church, originally known as St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, is a historic landmark in Wheeling, West Virginia. Consecrated on October 27, 1837, this Greek Revival building is one of the few pre-Civil War structures remaining in the city. Designed by James H. White, a Wheeling house carpenter, and built by stonemason John Gilchrist and bricklayer Hiram Martin, the church features a classic temple-form with six towering Doric columns and a flight of sandstone steps.
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church served its congregation until 1866, when they moved to a new location on Chapline Street. The building was then purchased by the First Baptist Church, which occupied it until 1958. Over the years, the church has housed various congregations, including the House of Prayer, Jubilee Christian Fellowship, Faith Reformed Presbyterian Church, and the Church of God and Saints of Christ.
In recent years, the church, now commonly known as the Blue Church, has been preserved by Wheeling Heritage and the Wheeling Young Preservationists. Significant renovations have been undertaken to restore the building, which is part of the Monroe Street East Historic District. The Blue Church remains a symbol of Wheeling's rich architectural and religious history, poised to serve the community once again.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://rb.gy/h80aus); Wheeling Heritage (https://rb.gy/mt3ki5)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Heritage
The Blue Church, originally known as St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, is a historic landmark in Wheeling, West Virginia. Consecrated on October 27, 1837, this Greek Revival building is one of the few pre-Civil War structures remaining in the city. Designed by James H. White, a Wheeling house carpenter, and built by stonemason John Gilchrist and bricklayer Hiram Martin, the church features a classic temple-form with six towering Doric columns and a flight of sandstone steps.
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church served its congregation until 1866, when they moved to a new location on Chapline Street. The building was then purchased by the First Baptist Church, which occupied it until 1958. Over the years, the church has housed various congregations, including the House of Prayer, Jubilee Christian Fellowship, Faith Reformed Presbyterian Church, and the Church of God and Saints of Christ.
In recent years, the church, now commonly known as the Blue Church, has been preserved by Wheeling Heritage and the Wheeling Young Preservationists. Significant renovations have been undertaken to restore the building, which is part of the Monroe Street East Historic District. The Blue Church remains a symbol of Wheeling's rich architectural and religious history, poised to serve the community once again.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://rb.gy/h80aus); Wheeling Heritage (https://rb.gy/mt3ki5)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Heritage
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