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First Presbyterian Church of Wapakoneta

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Coordinates: 40°34′11″N 84°11′48″W / 40.56972°N 84.19667°W / 40.56972; -84.19667
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First Presbyterian Church of Wapakoneta
Front of the church
First Presbyterian Church of Wapakoneta is located in Ohio
First Presbyterian Church of Wapakoneta
First Presbyterian Church of Wapakoneta is located in the United States
First Presbyterian Church of Wapakoneta
Location106 W. Main St., Wapakoneta, Ohio
Coordinates40°34′11″N 84°11′48″W / 40.56972°N 84.19667°W / 40.56972; -84.19667
AreaLess than 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1861
ArchitectDavid Hawkey
Architectural styleGreek Revival, Distyle in antis mode
NRHP reference No.85001797[1]
Added to NRHPAugust 23, 1985

The First Presbyterian Church of Wapakoneta is a historic former church building in downtown Wapakoneta, Ohio, United States. A small brick building located along Main Street west of the Auglaize County Courthouse, it is the oldest Protestant church building in Auglaize County and the oldest church building of any faith in the city of Wapakoneta. It is historically significant as west-central Ohio's only example of Greek Revival architecture with distyle in antis construction, in which two columns are located in the opening between pilasters.[2]

Organized in 1860,[3] the congregation included many of Auglaize County's leading citizens.[2] Unlike the majority German population of the county, the Presbyterians were primarily immigrants from East Coast states such as Virginia and New York. The congregation was greatly reduced by a financial scandal in the 1920s; reduced to a handful of members, it was disorganized in 1930 and its property sold. After it passed into the possession of the Wapakoneta Women's Club in that year, it served as the clubhouse until 1997, when it was purchased by the Auglaize County Historical Society. Since that time, the church has been converted into the Wapakoneta Museum by the society.[3]

In 1985, the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[1] Key to this honor was its unusual architecture and its connection to the leading members of Auglaize County society during the congregation's heyday.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c Owen, Lorrie K., ed. Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places. Vol. 1. St. Clair Shores: Somerset, 1999, 51-52.
  3. ^ a b The First Presbyterian Church, Auglaize County Historical Society, 2010. Accessed 2010-05-03.
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