Otterbein Church (Baltimore, Maryland)
Encyclopedia
Otterbein Church, now known as Old Otterbein United Methodist Church, is a historic United Brethren church located at Baltimore
, Maryland
, United States
. It is a two-story brick Georgian
structure with a peaked roof. It features a square bell tower
and an octagonal cupola-on-cupola and much of the original glass still remains. It was built in 1785-86 and a major remodeling occurred in 1839. The bells date to 1789 and are still in use. The same year the first Conference of United Brethren preachers was held and resulted in the official organization of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, with Pastor Philip William Otterbein
(1726-1813) as a bishop. He is buried in the adjacent churchyard.
Otterbein Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1969.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a two-story brick Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
structure with a peaked roof. It features a square bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
and an octagonal cupola-on-cupola and much of the original glass still remains. It was built in 1785-86 and a major remodeling occurred in 1839. The bells date to 1789 and are still in use. The same year the first Conference of United Brethren preachers was held and resulted in the official organization of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, with Pastor Philip William Otterbein
Philip William Otterbein
Philip William Otterbein was a U.S. clergyman. He was the founder of the United Brethren in Christ, a group that is a forerunner of today's United Methodist Church.-Biography:...
(1726-1813) as a bishop. He is buried in the adjacent churchyard.
Otterbein Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1969.
External links
- Otterbein Church, Baltimore City, including photo from 1998, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Old Otterbein United Methodist Church website