Immanuel Episcopal Church (c. early 1900s)
Immanuel Episcopal Church (c. 2016)
Site Name: Immanuel Episcopal Church
Date of construction: 1853
Reason for construction: Though merely built to be a church, this site served to revitalize the Episcopal Church in the state of Virginia, and soon after served as a Union field hospital during the civil war.
Site History: Although the Church itself was built by George Washington Bassett, grandnephew of Martha Washington, in 1853, its location had been used since the early 18th century for church meetings, which met under a simple frame. Once the gothic-style brick church was built, it quickly became a representation of the revitalization of the Episcopal Church. According to Bishop John Johns, who consecrated the building, the name Immanuel was chosen because it means “God with us” in Hebrew. From its founding until roughly 1857, the Immanuel Church was considered a ‘lesser’ church to the Saint Paul’s Church at Hanover Courthouse, however the small size of the Saint Paul’s congregation soon inspired the two churches to converge, and Immanuel remained even after the Civil War, despite the economic hardships it caused. The year 1869 brought a new pastor, Reverend B. Elliott Habersham, and a larger population: 46 members. During Habersham’s time, the church gained many improvements, such as a new painted roof and a new organ. In 1896, a group of young women organized the Immanuel Junior Auxiliary, a mission group that raised money for the church. The women in this group played a large role in funding for the church, especially during the Great Depression, until the mid-twentieth century.
Area History: Hanover County was officially formed in 1720, named after King George I of England, who was elector of Hanover, Germany. The Old Church Area, then mainly farmland and still very rural, was an unofficial community in the midst of Hanover County. By the time of the Civil War, it did not consist of much more than several private homes and a few taverns that were quickly taken over by Union troops. In 1864, Union and Confederate troops met at Matadequin Creek, near the Old Church crossroads, and a harsh yet small battle ensued, ending with Union victory. After the Civil War, the Old Church area, like the rest of the South, was hit by a rough depression, and spent the next few decades beginning to recover.
What about the site has changed? Not much outside of the obvious has changed. The Cherub School Preschool was built in 1988, and the surrounding cemetery has grown a bit, but other than these things and the necessary upkeep for such an old building, not much has changed.
What about the surrounding area has changed? The Old Church area has changed a lot, population-wise. While it is still regarded as ‘the middle of nowhere’ by most people in Hanover, especially those that live there, the area has grown in popularity and is generally regarded as a nice place to live, if you don’t care about fast internet or being close to town. Many neighborhoods in Old Church have large amounts of land, with some houses placed on multiple acres of forest, and the area still has a ‘country’ feel to it.
Reflection: I feel like this project did more building on old knowledge instead of creating new knowledge, which is great, but not what I was expecting. I already knew that Hanover County was a site of lots of battles- my local elementary school is literally called “Battlefield Park”- but I never knew of any in Old Church, just Pole Green and Cold Harbor, though these areas probably have blurred borders. It was pretty neat to learn about a place that I’ve known for so long, and I can’t wait to go back and see it again for the photo.
Author: Abigail Mister
Sources:
Colvin, Steve. "A Detailed History of Immanuel." Accessed March 13, 2016.
"History." Hanover County Historical Society. Accessed March 13, 2016.
"Historic Sites: Old Church." Virginia Tourism Corporation. 2016. Accessed March 15, 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment