Opequon Presbyterian Church

Opequon Presbyterian Church (HM12X)

Location: Winchester, VA 22602
Buy Virginia State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 39° 8.364', W 78° 11.71'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 838 views
Inscription
Early Years
This historic church was established by Scotch-Irish and German settlers who migrated from eastern Pennsylvania in the early 1730's. William Hoge donated two acres of land for a meeting house, and an additional two acres for a burying ground. Two log and two stone houses of worship have occupied this site. The congregation was officially organized as a Presbyterian Church circa 1736 under oversight of the Donegal (Pa.) Presbytery. Named Opequon Church after the original name of the area "Opekon settlement" it grew in size and influence. By the time of the French and Indian War in the 1750s it had become the primary place of public worship within a wide area. Tradition holds that George Washington worshiped here on occasion during that time. During the Revolutionary War Opequon Church made a major contribution to the effort, and seven known veterans are buried here. In 1790 a new stone sanctuary replaced the two earlier log structures.

Middle Years
By the early 1800s Opequon's prominence as the area's leading place of worship had declined, and for many years its membership ebbed and flowed. During the Civil War years the first and second battles of Kernstown were fought near and around the church, and the buildings and cemeteries were badly damaged. Worship services were discontinued in 1863, and the ruined structure was used as a stable for horses. Following the war, and after a partial restoration, the church building was destroyed by fire in 1873. The abandoned church site reverted to nature and the remnants of the congregation worshiped elsewhere.

A Renewed Vision
Out of the past comes motivation and direction for the future. The hardy Scotch-Irish descendants refused to accept defeat, and in 1889 plans and financing were arranged for reconstruction. In 1897 the present sanctuary was completed, and is built on the same foundation as the 1790 stone church. Often called the "Mother Church of the Valley," the congregation has set forth over the years 43 ministers and 8 missionaries, whose families were nurtured here. Sunday schools and chapels were organized and supported in the surrounding countryside. Today, Opequon Presbyterian Church is a vibrant, caring, and growing congregation, continuing to serve community, nation, and God. Our heritage over four centuries inspires and challenges us as we continue to glorify God in this place.

For more information you are invited to contact the pastor or visit our church office
Details
HM NumberHM12X
Tags
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, September 30th, 2014 at 7:06am PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17S E 742418 N 4335993
Decimal Degrees39.13940000, -78.19516667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 39° 8.364', W 78° 11.71'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds39° 8' 21.84" N, 78° 11' 42.60" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)540
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 217 Opequon Church Ln, Winchester VA 22602, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  10. This marker needs at least one picture.
  11. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  12. Is the marker in the median?