First Presbyterian Church... now the Howard County Historical Society museum

The 1894 building was built on the site of the 1842-4 church, next to the courthouse above Main Street, Ellicott City.  Both dates are on the cornerstone incorporated in the bell tower which was the original entrance.  There is an interesting two window partition between the sanctuary and the Sunday school classrooms that raise into the attic to expand the viewing.

This year is the 125th and 180th anniversaries - 180 years ago, on Feb 13, 1839 the congregation was officially organized with 23 members from the Grey and Thistle mills along the Patapsco.  125 years ago the 1894 Church building was completed at 8326 Church Street, Ellicott City.

By 1836 services were held at Grey (Patapsco) Mill school,

then at the neighboring Thistle Mill (started by two Scotsmen) mission chapel. 

Started in 1842, finished in 1844 the church building at Ellicott's mills was shown in the 1854 Sachse map of the county. 

The 1894 church had the original entrance in the tower.  The corner stone has the 1894 date added to 1842. (right of stairs under tree limb on right)

The layout of the 1894 replacement in HABS.  The left curved end was for the Sunday school classrooms, on the "Akron Plan." The classrooms opened up to the common area. 

1914 Akron Plan

Moveable partitions in a Nebraska church

Between the sanctuary and the classroom are two doors and two interior windows.  The windows can be raised up into the attic space.  The one on the left is half in the attic with black material used to block a museum display on the other side.

"There is a space between the nave wall and the southwest room wall for the [two] windows to slide up into, and when they are raised they are exposed in the attic.  The windows have a cord attached to each end of the sash and another in the center that runs up to a pulley on a collar beam, then runs over to the center and down through the ceiling to the middle of the wall below it."  
I'm not sure this picture shows the framework, it is not open to the public.

Rev. Branch and his sons installed the electricity when the church was built in 1894

Howard County Historical Society HERE - current owner of building
First Presbyterian Church of Howard County HERE

SOURCES

*HO-50  1894 church building HERE - black and white photos
*Great is thy faithfulness: the history of the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County.  History Committee of the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County:  2009
*"The Sunday-School Building and Its Equipment" in The Biblical World Sept. 1914
*Madison, Nebraska First Presbyterian Sunday school partitions. Photo by Ammodramus in Wiki commons, HERE

©2019 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD