Titusville Presbyterian to Host "A Tour of Titusville" on December 2
Tour of church and eight historic homes to open church’s 175th Anniversary Celebrations from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Titusville, NJ, November 19, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The First Presbyterian Church of Titusville will host “A Tour of Titusville,” a series of self-guided tours of the church and eight historic homes on River Drive on Sunday, December 2, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., to mark the opening of the congregation’s 175th Anniversary Celebrations.
“We are deeply grateful to be celebrating 175 years of loving God and neighbor at Titusville Presbyterian,” said the Rev. Will Shurley, pastor of the church. “We could not imagine a more fitting opening to our 175th year than by partnering with our neighbors to allow the community the opportunity to take a peek inside the rich, tangible history represented by our building and these eight homes.”
Among the homes that will be on tour are 36 River Drive, known locally as “The Delaware House,” which was built between 1820 and 1843 and served at various times as the village’s post office, general store and a hotel; 38 River Drive, which was built in 1840, and once served as the home of village resident Theodore Hunt, who, during the Great Depression, left for South America and eventually disappeared; 50 River Drive, which was built circa 1860, and is one of the village’s few remaining exposed-brick homes; 52 River Drive, a carpenter Gothic house built in 1857, which was once home to members of influential the Scudder, Cadwalader and Hess families; 74 River Drive, known locally as the “Blackwell House,” the home of former State Senator William H. Blackwell, which was built between 1907 and 1913, and features leaded windows in many rooms; 82 River Drive, which was built between 1910 and 1920 and features a rare concrete-shingled roof, and once served as the home of Grace Bannerman, the widow of Titusville Presbyterian’s former pastor William Bannerman; 90 River Drive, a three-story Victorian, built circa 1865, whose exterior was renovated extensively in 2003 according to historical photographs; and 100 River Drive, a colonial revival home designed by Walter B. Crabtree and built in 1909, that features new trim, interior doors, and cabinets custom built by the current owner from red oak trees milled onsite.
The church building itself, which was built in 1855 as a larger replacement for an earlier building that burned, will be open to receive visitors when they first arrive in Titusville. There, the church will host historical display panels from the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, which will allow visitors to learn more about the more than 300 years of Presbyterian history in the United States. Among the display will be stories about foreign missions, the church and its roles during the Civil War, music in the life of the Christian
community, and the variety of ways in which the church has borne public witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout its history.
“We understand that our church’s history is simply part of the greater Christian history of bearing witness to God’s redemptive work in the world and part of the greater local history of our particular community,” said Shurley. “We look forward to giving our visitors a look into both of those histories as they come together on the occasion of our 175th anniversary.”
Student carolers from Princeton Theological Seminary and light refreshments will round out “A Tour of Titusville.” More information about the church’s year-long 175th Anniversary Celebrations, including a schedule of events, concerts and speakers, will be made available that day.
Tickets for the house tour are $20 each and may be reserved by calling the church office at (609) 737-1385 or visiting titusvillechurch.org. Admission to the historical displays at the church is free. All tour tickets may be picked up or purchased at the church on December 2. Limited parking is available at the church; more parking is available at the Titusville Academy, located at 86 River Drive, and a short walk from the church.
The First Presbyterian Church of Titusville, founded in 1838 and celebrating 175 years of loving God and neighbor in 2013, is located at 48 River Drive in Titusville, six miles south of Lambertville and one mile north of the Washington Crossing Bridge, on the banks of the Delaware River.
“We are deeply grateful to be celebrating 175 years of loving God and neighbor at Titusville Presbyterian,” said the Rev. Will Shurley, pastor of the church. “We could not imagine a more fitting opening to our 175th year than by partnering with our neighbors to allow the community the opportunity to take a peek inside the rich, tangible history represented by our building and these eight homes.”
Among the homes that will be on tour are 36 River Drive, known locally as “The Delaware House,” which was built between 1820 and 1843 and served at various times as the village’s post office, general store and a hotel; 38 River Drive, which was built in 1840, and once served as the home of village resident Theodore Hunt, who, during the Great Depression, left for South America and eventually disappeared; 50 River Drive, which was built circa 1860, and is one of the village’s few remaining exposed-brick homes; 52 River Drive, a carpenter Gothic house built in 1857, which was once home to members of influential the Scudder, Cadwalader and Hess families; 74 River Drive, known locally as the “Blackwell House,” the home of former State Senator William H. Blackwell, which was built between 1907 and 1913, and features leaded windows in many rooms; 82 River Drive, which was built between 1910 and 1920 and features a rare concrete-shingled roof, and once served as the home of Grace Bannerman, the widow of Titusville Presbyterian’s former pastor William Bannerman; 90 River Drive, a three-story Victorian, built circa 1865, whose exterior was renovated extensively in 2003 according to historical photographs; and 100 River Drive, a colonial revival home designed by Walter B. Crabtree and built in 1909, that features new trim, interior doors, and cabinets custom built by the current owner from red oak trees milled onsite.
The church building itself, which was built in 1855 as a larger replacement for an earlier building that burned, will be open to receive visitors when they first arrive in Titusville. There, the church will host historical display panels from the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, which will allow visitors to learn more about the more than 300 years of Presbyterian history in the United States. Among the display will be stories about foreign missions, the church and its roles during the Civil War, music in the life of the Christian
community, and the variety of ways in which the church has borne public witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout its history.
“We understand that our church’s history is simply part of the greater Christian history of bearing witness to God’s redemptive work in the world and part of the greater local history of our particular community,” said Shurley. “We look forward to giving our visitors a look into both of those histories as they come together on the occasion of our 175th anniversary.”
Student carolers from Princeton Theological Seminary and light refreshments will round out “A Tour of Titusville.” More information about the church’s year-long 175th Anniversary Celebrations, including a schedule of events, concerts and speakers, will be made available that day.
Tickets for the house tour are $20 each and may be reserved by calling the church office at (609) 737-1385 or visiting titusvillechurch.org. Admission to the historical displays at the church is free. All tour tickets may be picked up or purchased at the church on December 2. Limited parking is available at the church; more parking is available at the Titusville Academy, located at 86 River Drive, and a short walk from the church.
The First Presbyterian Church of Titusville, founded in 1838 and celebrating 175 years of loving God and neighbor in 2013, is located at 48 River Drive in Titusville, six miles south of Lambertville and one mile north of the Washington Crossing Bridge, on the banks of the Delaware River.
Contact
First Presbyterian Church of Titusville
Will Shurley
609-737-1385
www.titusvillechurch.org
Will Shurley
609-737-1385
www.titusvillechurch.org
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