United Brethren in Christ (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
The United Brethren in Christ Church, also known as "File Mile Chapel", is a historic church building located southeast of Cincinnati in Anderson Township
, Hamilton County
, Ohio
, United States
. Built in 1844, it is a stone building with a stone foundation and a slate roof. It was the house of worship for the oldest Church of the United Brethren in Christ
congregation in southeastern Hamilton County, which became the mother of other congregations: some of its members later left to found other United Brethren in Christ churches elsewhere in Hamilton County and in the surrounding community.
The church was built by its members using stones quarried from the small creek that flows past the church building. Its floor plan
is that of a rectangle, modified by the 1896 addition of a bell tower
to the front with an entrance in its base. Among the most distinctive elements of its architecture is a large Gothic
window on the front facade. Except for the front, the church is surrounded by its cemetery, which is of a date approximately equal to the church building.
In 1978, the United Brethren in Christ Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Although both churches and cemeteries must pass hurdles higher than other types of properties to qualify for inclusion on the Register, it qualified both because of its well-preserved architecture and because of its place as a significant component of local history.
Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio
Anderson Township is one of the twelve townships of Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. Located in the southeastern part of the county and less than 15 minutes from downtown, the township has been named one of the Cincinnati area's most desirable neighborhoods to live...
, Hamilton County
Hamilton County, Ohio
As of 2000, there were 845,303 people, 346,790 households, and 212,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,075 people per square mile . There were 373,393 housing units at an average density of 917 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Built in 1844, it is a stone building with a stone foundation and a slate roof. It was the house of worship for the oldest Church of the United Brethren in Christ
Church of the United Brethren in Christ
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ is an evangelical Christian denomination based in Huntington, Indiana. It is a Protestant denomination of episcopal structure, Arminian theology, with roots in the Mennonite and German Reformed communities of 18th century Pennsylvania, as well as close...
congregation in southeastern Hamilton County, which became the mother of other congregations: some of its members later left to found other United Brethren in Christ churches elsewhere in Hamilton County and in the surrounding community.
The church was built by its members using stones quarried from the small creek that flows past the church building. Its floor plan
Floor plan
In architecture and building engineering, a floor plan, or floorplan, is a diagram, usually to scale, showing a view from above of the relationships between rooms, spaces and other physical features at one level of a structure....
is that of a rectangle, modified by the 1896 addition of a 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...
to the front with an entrance in its base. Among the most distinctive elements of its architecture is a large Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
window on the front facade. Except for the front, the church is surrounded by its cemetery, which is of a date approximately equal to the church building.
In 1978, the United Brethren in Christ 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...
. Although both churches and cemeteries must pass hurdles higher than other types of properties to qualify for inclusion on the Register, it qualified both because of its well-preserved architecture and because of its place as a significant component of local history.