Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Wilmington, Delaware: Old Swedes Church


Care to guess what the oldest church in America that's still used as a church is? That's right - Old Swedes Church (now formally called Holy Trinity) in Wilmington, Delaware. It was constructed in 1698-99. The church served as the center of life for the Swedish community in the pre-Colonial days. The yard around it serves as a cemetery.

The pulpit, pictured below, is the oldest in the United States. The dove above it is a gift from Sweden.

Drop by the south porch and say hello to Charles Springer (1658-1738), one of the church's founders. He might turn out to be a relative.

No comments:

Post a Comment