History of the Old Brick Church
Sometime in the middle 1700’s, large numbers of German-speaking immigrants began to settle in the Pottstown area. John Potts, the founder of Pottstown, gave these people some land on which to construct a church and have their cemetery. A log church was built on the corner of what is now Hanover & Walnut Streets and worship services were held in the German language. Reformed and Lutheran pastors served the people as they were available and in time two congregations were worshiping in the log building, one Lutheran and one Reformed.
Soon the log building was too small and plans were underway for the construction of a new church structure. Following plans of the church which had recently been built and Falkner’s Swamp, a brick Church was erected at the corner of Hanover & Chestnut Streets and dedicated late in the year 1796. It is in this building that Zion’s United Church of Christ worships today.
While German worship was still important to many of the settlers, both Lutheran and Reformed, the younger generation wanted to worship in English, and two congregations eventually became four: German Lutheran; German Reformed; English Lutheran and English Reformed. Scheduling services must have been a challenge! Soon these churches wanted their own buildings. First to leave was the English Lutheran Church of the Transfiguration which located on the other side of Hanover Street from the old brick church then Emmanuel Lutheran, the German congregation, left to build on the site of the old log church. Then the Reformed congregations together built Trinity Church one block south on the corner of Hanover & King Streets, and the old brick church was empty for a short while.
Some of the Reformed congregation, though, were not happy in their new building and they wanted to continue to worship in German. Zion’s Congregation was formed in 1869 and that portion of the Reformed members moved back to the old church. Other congregations in Pottstown, both Reformed (now United Church of Christ) and Lutheran were formed by the congregations who have called this building home.
Several re-modelings over the years changed the interior of the Old Brick Church, but under the leadership of Rev. Howard Kosman, the interior was restored to a colonial appearance in 1927. The exterior of the church, while basically the same as originally built, has been restored over a number of years with the last finishing touches being added in 1989. The pipe organ was restored and expanded in 1995.
Soon the log building was too small and plans were underway for the construction of a new church structure. Following plans of the church which had recently been built and Falkner’s Swamp, a brick Church was erected at the corner of Hanover & Chestnut Streets and dedicated late in the year 1796. It is in this building that Zion’s United Church of Christ worships today.
While German worship was still important to many of the settlers, both Lutheran and Reformed, the younger generation wanted to worship in English, and two congregations eventually became four: German Lutheran; German Reformed; English Lutheran and English Reformed. Scheduling services must have been a challenge! Soon these churches wanted their own buildings. First to leave was the English Lutheran Church of the Transfiguration which located on the other side of Hanover Street from the old brick church then Emmanuel Lutheran, the German congregation, left to build on the site of the old log church. Then the Reformed congregations together built Trinity Church one block south on the corner of Hanover & King Streets, and the old brick church was empty for a short while.
Some of the Reformed congregation, though, were not happy in their new building and they wanted to continue to worship in German. Zion’s Congregation was formed in 1869 and that portion of the Reformed members moved back to the old church. Other congregations in Pottstown, both Reformed (now United Church of Christ) and Lutheran were formed by the congregations who have called this building home.
Several re-modelings over the years changed the interior of the Old Brick Church, but under the leadership of Rev. Howard Kosman, the interior was restored to a colonial appearance in 1927. The exterior of the church, while basically the same as originally built, has been restored over a number of years with the last finishing touches being added in 1989. The pipe organ was restored and expanded in 1995.
