First Parish MH, Groton
Groton, MA
Congregational, 1755
Wood
First Prebyterian, Carlisle
Carlisle, PA
Presbyterian, 1757
Stone
First Presbyterian, Connecticut Farms
Union, NJ
Presbyterian, 1783
Stone
First Presbyterian, Elizabeth
Elizabeth, NJ
Presbyterian, 1784
Brick
First Presbyterian, Huntington
Huntington, NY
Presbyterian, 1784
Wood
First Presbyterian, Newark
Newark, NJ
Presbyterian, 1787
Stone
First Presbyterian, Wilmington
Wilmington, DE
Presbyterian, 1740
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!No longer at its original location, this building now serves the Colonial Dames of America, Delaware Chapter.
First Reformed
Hackensack, NJ
Dutch Reformed, 1791
Stone
First Reformed Dutch, Fishkill
Fishkill, NY
Dutch Reformed, 1731
Stone
First Reformed, Easton
Easton, PA
German Reformed, 1775
Stone
Flushing FMH Queens
Flushing, NY
Society of Friends, 1694
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!This FMH is the oldest house of worship in the city of New York and in the state of New York. In nearly 20 years, I’ve never found it open.
Fork Church
Beaver Dam, VA
Church of England, 1735
Brick
Fort Herkimer Reformed Dutch
Herkimer, NY
Dutch Reformed, 1730
Stone
Frankford FMH
Frankford, PA
Society of Friends, 1775
Stone
Free FMH, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Society of Friends, 1783
Brick
Ft. Niagara French Chapel
Ft. Niagara State Park, NY
Roman Catholic, 1726
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!As this is on Lake Ontario at the Canadian Border, it is the farthest from all the other CHoWs (over 200 miles from any of the others). Now that it’s preserved in a state park, it’s also fixed in time – the 18th century – and yet too busy with tourists much of the time, so the colonial atmosphere is not immediately appreciable.
German MH
Waldoboro, ME
German Lutheran, 1770
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!A point of interest inside is a photograph of one of the men who worked on the construction. Since it was completed before the American Revolution, the photo is, of course, of the much older man: it was taken more than 60 years later.
German Reformed Hagerstown
Hagerstown, MD
German Reformed, 1774
Stone
Glebe Church
Driver, VA
Church of England, 1738
Brick
Gloria Dei, Old Swedes, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA
Church of England, 1697
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!Perhaps surprisingly, this very old church still seems a part of the 18th century, even with I-95 just a few hundred feet away.
Goose Creek FMH
Lincoln, VA
Society of Friends, 1765
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!No longer in use as a Meetinghouse, it is now the private residence for the caretaker of the newer Goose Creek FMH nearby. It is not open to the public.
Goshen
Goshen, MA
Congregational, 1782
Wood
Grace Church
Yorktown, VA
Church of England, 1696
Stone
Great Conewago Presbyterian
Hunterstown, PA
Presbyterian, 1787
Stone
Greenwich FMH
Greenwich, NJ
Society of Friends, 1771
Brick
Groveland
Groveland, MA
Congregational, 1791
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!The church bell, cast by Paul Revere in 1795, is the oldest Revere bell in continuous service.
Guinston
Airville, PA
Presbyterian, 1773
Stone
Gunpowder FMH Cockeysville
near Cockeysville, MD
Society of Friends, 1773
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!This is now a private home, not open to the public.
Gunpowder Methodist MH
Edgewood, MD
Methodist, 1773
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!This is on a military post, and thus is not always accessible to the public.
Hampstead Town Hall
Hampstead, NH
Congregational, 1745
Wood
Hampton Congregational
Hampton, CT
Congregational, 1754
Wood
Harrington MH
South Bristol, ME
Congregational, 1772
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!For some years, this building was across the road, in use as a barn. It’s been restored to its original foundations, and now presents quite well as a survival from the 18th century. Compare its appearance to that of Walpole, just a few miles away.
Hebron Lutheran
Madison, VA
German Lutheran, 1740
Wood
Hickory Neck
Toano, VA
Church of England, 1774
Brick
Hockessin FMH
Hockessin, DE
Society of Friends, 1738
Stone
Holden Chapel, Harvard
Cambridge, MA
Congregational, 1742
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Now in use as a music building, this is not open to the public. It is, however, in sight of Christ Church, just across Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge.
Holden Congregational
Holden, MA
Congregational, 1789
Wood
Holy Trinity, Lancaster
Lancaster, PA
German Lutheran, 1761
Brick
Holy Trinity, Old Swedes
Wilmington, DE
Swedish Lutheran, 1698
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!Oldest in Delaware.
Hopewell Meeting
Clear Brook, VA
Society of Friends, 1659
Stone
Hopkinton Union MH
Hopkinton, RI
First Day Baptist, 1789
Wood
Hubbardston
Hubbardston, MA
Congregational, 1774
Wood
Hungars Church
Bridgetown, VA
Church of England, 1742
Brick
Immanuel on the Green
New Castle, DE
Church of England, 1703
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Substantially damaged by fire in 1980, restoration returned it to its early 19th century modified appearance.
Jamestown Church Tower
Jamestown, VA
Church of England, 1639
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!The tower is the only part remaining from the 1639 church at English America’s oldest permanent settlement, but work is underway to build a replica of the rest of the church, based on details found in 21st century excavations. This is probably the oldest church remnant in English America.
Jericho FMH
Hicksville, NY
Society of Friends, 1788
Wood
Jerusalem
Ebenezer, GA
German Lutheran, 1767
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Oldest in Georgia: Its rural setting allows for an impression of the 18th century.
John's Island Presbyterian
John's Island, SC
Presbyterian, 1719
Wood
Kensington Congregational
Kensington, CT
Congregational, 1774
Wood
King's Chapel
Boston, MA
Church of England, 1749
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!Originally built for use by the Church of England, and now surrounded by modern Boston. It is now Unitarian.
Lamb's Creek Church
Sealston, VA
Church of England, 1769
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Compare the architecture of this church with Little Fork Church (aka St. Mark’s) in Rixeyville.
Little Falls FMH
Fallston, MD
Society of Friends, 1773
Stone
Long Plain FMH
Acushnet, MA
Society of Friends, 1759
Wood
Longmeadow MH
Longmeadow, MA
Congregational, 1767
Wood
Lower Chapel Middlesex
Hartfield, VA
Church of England, 1717
Brick
Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian
Gettysburg, PA
Presbyterian, 1790
Stone
Lower Merion FMH
Merion Station, PA
Society of Friends, 1695
Stone
Hold mouse here for more info!Oldest in Pennsylvania.
Lower Southwark
Lawne's Creek Parish, VA
Church of England, 1751
Brick
Lynnfield Town MH
Lynnfield, MA
Congregational, 1714
Wood
Makefield FMH
Dolington, PA
Society of Friends, 1752
Stone
Mangohick Church
Mangohick, VA
Church of England, 1730
Brick
Manokin Presbyterian
Princess Anne, MD
Presbyterian, 1765
Brick
Marshallton FMH
West Bradford Twp, PA
Society of Friends, 1764
Stone
Matinecock FMH
Oyster Bay, NY
Society of Friends, 1725
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!This meeting house’s setting allows one to drift back in time quite easily.
Medfield
Medfield, MA
Congregational, 1789
Wood
Mennonite MH
Germantown, PA
Mennonite, 1770
Stone
Merchant's Hope
Prince George, VA
Church of England, 1743
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Merchant’s Hope owes its strong 18th century atmosphere to the lucky location on a side road well out of any town. It appears to be unchanged in almost 350 years; it was built in 1657, and is one of the four oldest CHoWs in America’s English colonies.
Middleham Chapel
Lusby, MD
Church of England, 1748
Brick
Midway
Midway, GA
Congregational, 1792
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!Site of burial of some Signers of the Declaration of Independence. The relative quiet of the neighborhood, even with I-95 just a couple of miles to the east, enhances the sense of an earlier time that this very large churchyard suggests.
Mohawk Indian Castle
Mohawk, NY
Church of England, 1769
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!Upstate New York has numerous colonial-era houses of worship with excellent settings for the atmosphere. The history in this case is unusual: The church was established through charitable donations for the religious education of local Native Americans.
Moravian
Oliphants Mill, NJ
Moravian, 1786
Brick
Moravian Old Chapel
Bethlehem, PA
Moravian, 1751
Stone
Mt. Bethel Baptist MH
Warren, NJ
Baptist, 1761
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!This MH is well-preserved, and has a fine cemetery adjacent, but because of its location about 10' from two very busy roads, it's not especially easy to drift back to colonial times while gazing at it.
Mt. Holly FMH
Mt. Holly, NJ
Society of Friends, 1775
Brick
Mt. Laurel FMH
Mt. Laurel, NJ
Society of Friends, 1760
Stone
Nequasset MH
Woolwich, ME
Congregational, 1757
Wood
Neshaminy Presbyterian
Neshaminy, PA
Presbyterian, 1743
Stone
New Castle Presbyterian
New Castle, DE
Presbyterian, 1707
Brick
New Garden FMH
New Garden, PA
Society of Friends, 1743
Brick
New Lebanon Shaker MH
New (Mt.) Lebanon, NY
Shaker, 1785
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!Although the Shaker community in Canterbury, New Hampshire, is perhaps the best-known remaining in America, this is the only structure built by Shakers during the colonial era that is still intact. It’s now part of a small college, and surrounded by a green campus and other buildings.
Newington MH
Newington, NH
Congregational, 1712
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!Oldest in New Hampshire.
Newport FMH
Newport, RI
Society of Friends, 1699
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!Oldest in Rhode Island.
Newtown Presbyterian
Newtown, PA
Presbyterian, 1769
Stone
Newtown Square FMH
Newtown Square, PA
Society of Friends, 1711
Stone
Nine Partners FMH
Millbrook, NY
Society of Friends, 1780
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!One of several upstate NY FMH’s in ideally colonial rural settings.
Norriton Presbyterian MH
Norristown, PA
Presbyterian, 1698
Stone
North Farnham
Farnham, VA
Church of England, 1737
Brick
North Orange Community Church
North Orange, MA
Congregational, 1781
Wood
Oblong FMH
Quaker Hill (Pawling), NY
Society of Friends, 1764
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!One of several upstate NY FMH’s in ideally colonial rural settings.
Old Bohemia/St. Francis Xavier
Warwick, MD
Roman Catholic, 1794
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!While the date of this church is slightly later than my timeline ought to allow, its setting and appearance put it in the colonial era visually. Plus, the name alludes to an estate owned by Augustine Herman, the first Bohemian/ Czech to come to America, and my 8x great-grandfather.
Old Chapel, Penhook
Penhook, VA
Church of England, 1769
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!The very isolated location of this chapel makes it easy to imagine one has left the 20th century far away.
Old Christ Church
Laurel, DE
Church of England, 1771
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!Apart from exterior repainting/restaining, this church retains its original appearance and character, as well as original materials: it’s been unchanged for 250 years. It has no electricity, and its unpainted pews and interior walls reflect that era beautifully. Its setting out in the country is not completely rural (farm machinery can be heard in season), but one can imagine stepping back in time fairly easily here. This design of this beautiful church is based directly on its parent church, Green Hill (Whitehaven, Wicomico Co., MD), though the original is a brick building.
Old Congregational Enfield
Enfield, CT
Congregational, 1774
Wood
Old Donation Church
Lynnhaven, VA
Church of England, 1736
Brick
Old Drawyers
Odessa, DE
Presbyterian, 1773
Brick
Old Green Hill / St. Bartholomew's
Whitehaven, MD
Church of England, 1733
Brick
Hold mouse here for more info!Now separated by state and diocesan lines, Green Hill was the mother church of Old Christ Church (Laurel, Sussex Co., Del.). Its beautiful lines were the model for the construction of the newer church, completed four decades later in wood. Green Hill's location is ideal for summoning up the aura of the 18th century.
Old Haverford FMH
Oakmont, PA
Society of Friends, 1697
Stone
Old Indian, Mashpee
Mashpee, MA
Congregational, 1717
Wood
Hold mouse here for more info!Substantially restored after 2000.
Old Kennett FMH
Hamorton, PA
Society of Friends, 1710
Stone