Friends meeting houses in Pennsylvania

Many historic Friends meeting houses in Pennsylvania were constructed in colonial times and are listed individually by the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and others are contributing buildings in historic districts. Several Friends meetings, the equivalent of church congregations in other denominations, were founded in Pennsylvania by the Religious Society of Friends or Quakers in the early 1680s.^[1] Thirty-two extant meeting houses, the equivalent of church buildings, were constructed before 1800. Over 100 meeting houses built before 1900 were documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in a survey that led to their publication of Silent Witness, Quaker Meeting Houses In The Delaware Valley, 1695 To The Present in 2002.^[2][3] In 1827, the Great Separation divided Pennsylvania Quakers into two branches, Orthodox and Hicksite. Many individual meetings also separated, but one branch generally kept possession of the meetinghouse. The two branches reunited in the 1950s. Other branches, such as the Free Quakers, are generally represented in Pennsylvania by a single historic meeting house.

Meeting houses

Name	Photo	Founded	Constructed	Branch	Notes	Location	Reference
Merion Friends Meeting House		1683	1695-1714	Hicksite		615 Mongomery Ave., Merion Station [ ⚑ ] 40°00′35″N 75°15′16″W / 40.0097°N 75.2544°W / 40.0097; -75.2544 (Merion)	NHL[4]
Old Haverford Friends Meetinghouse		1682, 1684	1701	Hicksite		235 E. Eagles Road, Havertown [ ⚑ ] 39°59′27″N 75°18′17″W / 39.9907°N 75.3047°W / 39.9907; -75.3047 (Old Haverford)	FMHS[2] [1]
Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse	More images	1703, 1710	1708, 1780	Hicksite		Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting [ ⚑ ] 40°06′09″N 75°16′45″W / 40.1025°N 75.2792°W / 40.1025; -75.2792 (Plymouth)	NRHP[5]
Bristol Friends Meeting House		1707, 1711	1713-19	Hicksite		Market & Woods St., Bristol [ ⚑ ] 40°05′47″N 74°51′26″W / 40.0963°N 74.8572°W / 40.0963; -74.8572 (Bristol)	FMHS NRHP HD[6]
Concord Friends Meetinghouse		1684	1728. 1788	Hicksite		Old Concord Rd, Concordville [ ⚑ ] 39°53′05″N 75°31′09″W / 39.8848°N 75.5192°W / 39.8848; -75.5192 (Old Concord)	NRHP, FMHS
Radnor Friends Meetinghouse	More images	1684, 1698	1717-18	Hicksite		Sproul Rd. (Rt 320), Ithan [ ⚑ ] 40°01′48″N 75°21′51″W / 40.0300°N 75.3643°W / 40.0300; -75.3643 (Radnor)	[2]
Falls Friends Meeting House (former)		1683	1728	NA	replaced 1789, now an apartment building	Tyburn Rd. at New Falls Rd., Fallsington [ ⚑ ] 40°11′06″N 74°49′12″W / 40.1850°N 74.8200°W / 40.1850; -74.8200 (Falls Meeting Houses)	FMHS
Old Kennett Meetinghouse		1707, 1711	1731 c.	Hicksite		US 1, Kennett Square [ ⚑ ] 39°52′16″N 75°38′53″W / 39.8711°N 75.6481°W / 39.8711; -75.6481 (Old Kennett)	FMHS
New Garden Friends Meeting House		1712, 1715	1743	Hicksite		Newark Rd., Toughkenamon [ ⚑ ] 39°48′54″N 75°45′09″W / 39.8150°N 75.7526°W / 39.8150; -75.7526 (New Garden)	FMHS
Sadsbury Friends Meeting House		1723, 1725	1747	Hicksite		Simmontown Rd, Gap [ ⚑ ] 39°58′15″N 75°59′27″W / 39.9709°N 75.9908°W / 39.9709; -75.9908 (Sadsbury)	FMHS
Plumsted Friends Meeting House		1730	1752, 1876			4914 Point Pleasant Pike, Danboro [ ⚑ ] 40°22′02″N 75°06′52″W / 40.3671°N 75.1145°W / 40.3671; -75.1145 (Plumsted)	FMHS
Exeter Friends Meeting House		1715, 1725	1759	Orthodox		Meeting House Rd., Stonersville [ ⚑ ] 40°18′48″N 75°47′04″W / 40.3132°N 75.7845°W / 40.3132; -75.7845 (Exeter)	FMHS
Maidencreek Friends Meeting House		1732, 1735	1759	Hicksite		West Shore Dr., Kindts Corner (building moved 1929) [ ⚑ ] 40°27′44″N 75°55′51″W / 40.4622°N 75.9308°W / 40.4622; -75.9308 (Maidencreek)	FMHS
Makefield Friends Meeting House		1750, 1790	1760, 1764	Hicksite		877 Dolington Rd, Lower Makefield [ ⚑ ] 40°15′57″N 74°53′12″W / 40.2658°N 74.8868°W / 40.2658; -74.8868 (Makefield)	NRHP, FMHS
Birmingham Friends Meetinghouse		1726	1763	Hicksite		Birmingham Rd. near Rt. 926, West Chester [ ⚑ ] 39°54′21″N 75°35′39″W / 39.9057°N 75.5943°W / 39.9057; -75.5943 (Birmingham)	NRHP
Uwchlan Meetinghouse		1712, 1714	1763 c.	Orthodox		Village Ave. North, Lionville [ ⚑ ] 40°03′16″N 75°39′36″W / 40.0545°N 75.6599°W / 40.0545; -75.6599 (Uwchlan)	FMHS
Bradford Friends Meetinghouse		1716, 1726	1765	Orthodox		1364 West Strasburg Road, Marshallton [ ⚑ ] 39°56′59″N 75°40′48″W / 39.9496°N 75.6800°W / 39.9496; -75.6800 (Bradford)	NRHP
York Friends Meeting House		1754, 1767	1766, 1783	Hicksite		Philadelphia St., York [ ⚑ ] 39°57′47″N 76°43′54″W / 39.9630°N 76.7317°W / 39.9630; -76.7317 (York)	FMHS
Buckingham Friends Meeting House		1701, 1705	1768	Hicksite		5684 York Rd. (Rt 202), Lahaska [ ⚑ ] 40°20′41″N 75°02′19″W / 40.3447°N 75.0387°W / 40.3447; -75.0387 (Buckingham)	NHL[7]
Chichester Friends Meetinghouse		1682, 1701	1769	Hicksite		Meeting House Rd., Boothwyn [ ⚑ ] 39°50′11″N 75°25′53″W / 39.8365°N 75.4313°W / 39.8365; -75.4313 (Chichester)	NRHP
Frankford Friends Meeting House	File:Frankford (Preparative) Friends Meeting House, Corner of Unity and Waln Streets, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA-6652-8.tif	1684	1775-76	Hicksite	Orthodox counterpart on Orthodox St.	Unity and Waln Sts., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 40°00′40″N 75°05′03″W / 40.0111°N 75.0843°W / 40.0111; -75.0843 (Frankford)	FMHS
Caln Meeting House		1716	1782	Shared	In 1907 the Orthodox Meeting moved to Coatesville	Rt. 340, Thorndale [ ⚑ ] 40°00′26″N 75°45′53″W / 40.0073°N 75.7646°W / 40.0073; -75.7646 (Caln)	FMHS
Free Quaker Meetinghouse		1780	1783-84	Free Quaker		5th and Arch, Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°57′09″N 75°08′55″W / 39.9524°N 75.1487°W / 39.9524; -75.1487 (Free Quaker)	NRHP
Abington Friends Meeting House		1683	1786	Hicksite		520 Meeting House Rd., Jenkintown [ ⚑ ] 40°05′38″N 75°07′06″W / 40.0939°N 75.1182°W / 40.0939; -75.1182 (Abington)	FMHS
Wrightstown Friends Meeting Complex		1686	1787	Hicksite		Rt. 413, 4 miles north of Newtown [ ⚑ ] 40°15′57″N 74°58′54″W / 40.2657°N 74.9818°W / 40.2657; -74.9818 (Wrightstown)	NRHP, FMHS
Falls Friends Meeting House		1683	1789	Orthodox. Hicksite 1841 meeting house just north	Now houses the William Penn Center	9300 New Falls Rd., Fallsington, Pennsylvania [ ⚑ ] 40°11′06″N 74°49′11″W / 40.1849°N 74.8196°W / 40.1849; -74.8196 (Falls (1789))	FMHS
Newtown Square Friends Meeting House		1696, 1706	1791	Hicksite		120 Newtown Rd. (Rt 252), Newtown Square [ ⚑ ] 39°59′30″N 75°24′18″W / 39.9918°N 75.4050°W / 39.9918; -75.4050 (Newtown Square)	FMHS
Middletown Friends Meeting House		1680, 1683	1793	Hicksite		453 W. Maple Ave., Langhorne [ ⚑ ] 40°10′31″N 74°55′44″W / 40.1752°N 74.9288°W / 40.1752; -74.9288 (Middletown (Langhorne))	FMHS
Catawissa Friends Meetinghouse		1775, 1793	1794			South St., Catawissa [ ⚑ ] 40°57′04″N 76°27′42″W / 40.9510°N 76.4617°W / 40.9510; -76.4617 (Catawissa)	FMHS NRHP
Roaring Creek Friends Meeting		1786, 1796	1795-96	Hicksite		Quaker Meeting Rd., Numidia [ ⚑ ] 40°53′53″N 76°23′55″W / 40.8981°N 76.3986°W / 40.8981; -76.3986 (Roaring Creek)	FMHS
Willistown Friends Meeting House		1753, 1794	1798	Hicksite		7069 Goshen Rd., Whitehorse [ ⚑ ] 39°59′19″N 75°28′51″W / 39.9886°N 75.4809°W / 39.9886; -75.4809 (Willistown)	FMHS Part of Okehocking Historic District
Marlboro Friends Meeting House		1799, 1802	1801			901 Marlborough Springs Rd., Marlborough Village [ ⚑ ] 39°53′44″N 75°42′17″W / 39.8956°N 75.7046°W / 39.8956; -75.7046 (Marlboro)	FMHS Part of Marlborough Village Historic District
Fallowfield Friends Meeting House		1792, 1796	1801 (1811?)	Hicksite		Rt. 82 at Buck Run Rd., Ercildoun [ ⚑ ] 39°56′46″N 75°50′18″W / 39.9461°N 75.8384°W / 39.9461; -75.8384 (Fallowfield)	FMHS
Horsham Friends Meeting		1714, 1717	1803	Hicksite		Horsham Rd., Horsham Township [ ⚑ ] 40°11′01″N 75°07′54″W / 40.1836°N 75.1316°W / 40.1836; -75.1316 (Horsham)	FMHS
Arch Street Friends Meeting House		1681 (Philadelphia Yearly Meeting)	1804, 1811	Orrthodox		304 Arch St., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°57′07″N 75°08′46″W / 39.9519°N 75.1462°W / 39.9519; -75.1462 (Arch St.)	NHL
Darby Friends Meeting		1684	1805	Hicksite		1015 Main St., Darby [ ⚑ ] 39°55′16″N 75°15′46″W / 39.9211°N 75.2629°W / 39.9211; -75.2629 (Darby)	NRHP
Downingtown Friends Meeting House	File:Downingtown Friends Meeting House, 800 East Lancaster Avenue, Downingtown, Chester County, PA HABS PA-6653-2.tif	1784, 1811	1806		Uwchlan M.M. moved here in 1900	800 E. Lancaster Ave, Downingtown [ ⚑ ] 40°00′51″N 75°41′20″W / 40.0141°N 75.6889°W / 40.0141; -75.6889 (Downingtown)	FMHS
Solebury Friends Meeting House		1806, 1811	1806			2680 Sugan Rd., New Hope [ ⚑ ] 40°22′22″N 74°59′15″W / 40.3728°N 74.9874°W / 40.3728; -74.9874 (Solebury)
Schuylkill Friends Meeting House		1812	1807, 1816	Hicksite	Charlestown Friends until 1826	37 N. Whitehorse Rd., Phoenixville [ ⚑ ] 40°07′15″N 75°30′07″W / 40.1209°N 75.5019°W / 40.1209; -75.5019 (Schuylkill Friends Meeting House)
Byberry Friends Meeting House		1683, 1701	1808	Hicksite		3001 Byberry Rd., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 40°06′09″N 74°58′51″W / 40.1025°N 74.9809°W / 40.1025; -74.9809 (Byberry)
West Chester Meeting House		1810, 1813	1810, 1868	Hicksite		425 N. High, West Chester [ ⚑ ] 39°57′51″N 75°36′28″W / 39.9642°N 75.6078°W / 39.9642; -75.6078 (West Chester)
Providence Friends Meeting House		1686	1700, 1727, 1753	Hicksite		Providence Rd., Media [ ⚑ ] 39°55′06″N 75°22′52″W / 39.9183°N 75.3810°W / 39.9183; -75.3810 (Providence (Media))	HABS
Upper Dublin		1814	1814	Hicksite		Ft. Washington & Limekiln Rd. Upper Dublin [ ⚑ ] 40°09′44″N 75°11′16″W / 40.1622°N 75.1878°W / 40.1622; -75.1878 (Upper Dublin)
Newtown Friends Meeting House		1815, 1817	1817, 1868	Hicksite		219 Court St. Newtown [ ⚑ ] 40°13′33″N 74°56′09″W / 40.2257°N 74.9357°W / 40.2257; -74.9357 (Newtown (Bucks Co.))
London Grove Friends Meeting House		1724, 1775	1818			Rt. 926 at Newark Rd, West Marlborough Township [ ⚑ ] 39°52′11″N 75°46′25″W / 39.8696°N 75.7735°W / 39.8696; -75.7735 (London Grove))
Gwynedd Friends Meeting House		1689, 1698	1823	Hicksite		Spring House & Pennllyn Turnpike, Lower Gwyynedd [ ⚑ ] 40°12′11″N 75°15′21″W / 40.2031°N 75.2557°W / 40.2031; -75.2557 (Gwynedd))
Little Elk Friends Meeting House			1826			Media Rd, Hickory Hill [ ⚑ ] 39°44′55″N 75°55′49″W / 39.7485°N 75.9304°W / 39.7485; -75.9304 (Little Elk)
Upper Providence Friends Meeting House	File:Upper Providence Friends Meetinghouse, 8207 Black Rock Road, Oaks, Montgomery County, PA HABS PA-6706-4.tif	1716, 1733	1828	Hicksite		8207 Black Rock Road, Oaks, Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County [ ⚑ ] 40°08′56″N 75°28′33″W / 40.1490°N 75.4758°W / 40.1490; -75.4758 (Upper Providence)	HABS
Bart Friends Meeting		1820	1825	Hicksite		Quaker Church Rd., Christiana [ ⚑ ] 39°55′58″N 76°02′50″W / 39.9328°N 76.0473°W / 39.9328; -76.0473 (Bart)
Chester Friends Meetinghouse		1675, 1698	1829, 1954			24th at Chestnut St. Chester [ ⚑ ] 39°52′10″N 75°21′50″W / 39.8694°N 75.3639°W / 39.8694; -75.3639 (Chester)	NRHP
Parkersville Friends Meetinghouse		1830	1830	Hicksite		Parkersville Rd. s of Rt 926 Parkersville [ ⚑ ] 39°53′10″N 75°38′43″W / 39.8861°N 75.6452°W / 39.8861; -75.6452 (Parkersville)	NRHP
Homeville Friends Meeting House		1839	1839			Newark Rd. Rt 896, Homeville [ ⚑ ] 39°51′39″N 75°59′14″W / 39.8608°N 75.9872°W / 39.8608; -75.9872 (Homeville)
Unionville Friends Meeting House		1845	1845		Now Grange Hall	Rt. 82, Unionville [ ⚑ ] 39°53′44″N 75°43′51″W / 39.8956°N 75.7307°W / 39.8956; -75.7307 (Unionville)	FMHS
Springfield Friends Meetinghouse		1686	1703, 1783, 1850
Millville Friends Meeting House		1795	1846	Hicksite		Main at Maple St., Millville [ ⚑ ] 41°07′23″N 76°31′34″W / 41.1231°N 76.5260°W / 41.1231; -76.5260 (Millville)	HABS
Longwood Progressive Friends Meeting House		1854	1854			Rt. 1 at Longwood Gardens [ ⚑ ] 39°52′07″N 75°40′17″W / 39.8687°N 75.6713°W / 39.8687; -75.6713 (Longwood)
Goshen Friends Meeting House		1709	1855			814 Chester Rd, Goshenville [ ⚑ ] 39°59′36″N 75°32′37″W / 39.9933°N 75.5435°W / 39.9933; -75.5435 (Goshen)
Race Street Friends Meeting House	File:Race Street Friends Meeting House, Race Street west of Fifteenth Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA-6687-13.tif		1855-57			1515 Cherry St., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°57′21″N 75°09′54″W / 39.9559°N 75.1651°W / 39.9559; -75.1651 (Race St.)	NRHP
Richlands Friends Meeting House		1710, 1723	1862			Main St and Mill Rd, Quakertown [ ⚑ ] 40°26′12″N 75°21′08″W / 40.4367°N 75.3522°W / 40.4367; -75.3522 (Richlands)
Lampeter Friends Meeting House		1728, 1732	1889			Rt. 340, Bird-in-Hand [ ⚑ ] 40°02′20″N 76°11′06″W / 40.0390°N 76.1850°W / 40.0390; -76.1850 (Lampeter)
Reading Friends Meeting House		1750, 1756	1868		Wilson Eyre	108 N. 6th St., Reading [ ⚑ ] 40°20′15″N 75°55′35″W / 40.3375°N 75.9263°W / 40.3375; -75.9263 (Reading)
Germantown Friends Meeting House		1690	1868-69		Sloan & Hutton	47 W. Coulter, Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 40°01′57″N 75°10′19″W / 40.0324°N 75.1720°W / 40.0324; -75.1720 (Germantown)
Valley Friends Meeting House		1698, 1810	1871			1121 Old Eagle School Rd., Wayne [ ⚑ ] 40°04′57″N 75°24′54″W / 40.0826°N 75.4151°W / 40.0826; -75.4151 (Valley)
Media Monthly Meeting House		1878	1875	Orthodox	known as Chester Monthly Meeting until 1950?	Third St., Media [ ⚑ ] 39°55′17″N 75°23′29″W / 39.9213°N 75.3913°W / 39.9213; -75.3913 (Media)
West Philadelphia Orthodox Friends Meeting House	File:West Philadelphia Friends Meeting House, 3500 Lancaster Avenue at Thirty-fifth Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA HABS PA-6664-3.tif	1878	1878	Orthodox		Powelton & 42nd St., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°57′33″N 75°12′24″W / 39.9592°N 75.2066°W / 39.9592; -75.2066 (West Philadelphia)
Oxford Friends Meeting House		1876	1879			S. 3rd St., Oxford [ ⚑ ] 39°46′48″N 75°58′51″W / 39.7801°N 75.9808°W / 39.7801; -75.9808 (Oxford (Chesco))
Swarthmore Friends Meeting House		1863, 1893	1881	Hicksite		12 Whittier Place, Swarthmore [ ⚑ ] 39°54′26″N 75°21′12″W / 39.9073°N 75.3533°W / 39.9073; -75.3533 (Swarthmore)
Fair Hill Friends Meeting House		1702, 1880	1883			Cambria St. at Germantown Ave., Philadelphia [ ⚑ ] 39°59′46″N 75°08′48″W / 39.9962°N 75.1467°W / 39.9962; -75.1467 (Fair Hill)
Doe Run		1808, 1811	1883			81 Greenlaw Rd, Cochraneville [ ⚑ ] 39°53′21″N 75°52′17″W / 39.8892°N 75.8715°W / 39.8892; -75.8715 (Doe Run)
Middletown Friends Meetinghouse		1686, 1701	1702, 1770s, 1888			435 Middletown Rd, Lima [ ⚑ ] 39°55′28″N 75°26′34″W / 39.9245°N 75.4429°W / 39.9245; -75.4429 (Middletown (Lima))
Horsham Orthodox Friends Meeting House		1890	1890	Orthodox	Extant?	Saw Mill Lane & Dreshertown Rd., Horsham Township, Pennsylvania [ ⚑ ] 40°10′39″N 75°08′23″W / 40.1775°N 75.1397°W / 40.1775; -75.1397 (Horsham Orthodox)
Gwynnedd Friends Meeting House			1890			Swede & Pine Sts., Norristown
Warrington Friends Meeting House			1769			Carlisle Rd, Wellsville [ ⚑ ] 40°03′12″N 76°55′47″W / 40.0532°N 76.9298°W / 40.0532; -76.9298 (Warrington)

References

Further reading

• Brief Historical Sketches concerning Friends' Meetings of the Past and Present with special reference to Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, compiled by T. Chalkey Matlack, Moorestown, N.J. 1938. Available at the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College.
• Futhey, John Smith; Cope, Gilbert (1881). History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts. pp. 782. https://books.google.com/books?id=jcYxAQAAMAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s. Retrieved August 17, 2016. 

External links

• QuakerMeetings.com, "Monthly Meetings in North America: A Quaker Index" - a database of the history of meetings (rather than meeting houses)

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