The first settlement in what is now Bridgeton was made by 1686 when Richard Hancock established a sawmill here. A pioneer iron-works was established here in 1814. Bridgeton originated as Cohansey Bridge, a cluster of homes built near the bridge across the Cohansey River near present-day Commerce Street. It became the county seat after an election in 1748, and was incorporated as a city in 1865. [more needed] Source of most of the information: Lucius Q.C. Elmer's History of the Early Settlement and Progress of Cumberland County, New Jersey, published in 1869 and Cushing & Shepard's History of the Counties of Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland, published in 1883. I have found 20 old churches, chapels and meetinghouses in Bridgeton; 18 of them are displayed here in chronological order, based on the year of construction.  founded c.1740; built 1792 Broad Street This magnificent brick Georgian meetinghouse was built in 1792 on land donated by a local Quaker. The interior, with its cast iron stoves, brick flooring and original pews, scarcely seems to have been touched since then. Entrances are on three sides of the building. A high pulpit, about fourteen feet above the main floor, is reached by a curved stairwell. The aisles are brick with the pew floors slightly raised and of wide boards. The high, straight back pews have doors to the aisles. Walls are wainscoated with beaded boards painted white. The church was heated by two cast iron stoves which bear the name of "Jacob Downing, Atsion Furnace". The pipes from these stoves arch across the church to meet in the middle and then slant over the gallery and disappear in the chimney.The Paladian window above the pulpit is similar to the one in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. The brick was made locally and is set in Flemish bond. It is quite similar to the Old Drover's church in Delaware, which is much better known.The roof is gabled with wooden shingles. It is five bayed on the east and west elevations and three bayed on the north and south elevations. The windows have semicircular brick arched openings with twelve over twelve sash. The original hardware still remains. Entrances are on three sides of the building. A high pulpit, about fourteen feet above the main floor, is on the fourth wall. It is reached by a curved stairwell that is interestingly carved. Behind the pulpit is a Palladian window. The aisles are brick with the pew floors slightly raised and of wide boards. The high, straight back pews have doors to the aisles. The square family pews are found in the front of the ground floor and in the gallery. The gallery runs across the rear and down both sides of the building. For forty-five years after Bridgeton became the county seat it had no houses of worship. Presbyterian services were held either in the Courthouse or in the church at Greenwich. In 1744, subscriptions were made to purchase land and build a church on the east side of the river but, opposition from those living on the west side doomed that plan. Proposals were made again in the 1770s, but the war delayed those efforts. In 1791 Mark Miller, a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) donated the lot on which the church stands. Construction finally began in 1792, but when the money ran out, a special act of the legislature permitted a lottery to raise funds for the church in 1793; that was not without precedent, but not every request for a lottery was approved. The original cost of the church was $4,280. The graveyard is the resting of many
veterans of the Revolution. Many were officers who belonged to the
Society of Cincinnati. This society was formed at the end of the war by
Gen Washington so that old friendships would not be forgotten. Patriots
buried here include Gen. James Giles, Gen. Ebenezer Elmer and members
of the Potter family. The church is still open to visitors but
regular services have not been held since two newer and larger
Presbyterian churches have been constructed. An annual meeting is held
on Thanksgiving Day and services are held on all Sundays in August.
There are also special events and anniversary celebrations conducted.  Bridgeton founded 1807, built 1807; renovated 1860s 40 Bank Street current use: Miracle Temple (2005) This large wood-frame meetinghouse was built in 1807-8 but has been modified considerably since then. It was originally a non-denominational meetinghouse, perhaps with emphasis on Methodism. It was moved from its original location a couple of blocks away in 1835 and fitted up for use as a Sunday School. It was later used as a school, then a business college. Building was built in 1807, a frame structure 30 x 36 feet, on the lot where the First United Methodist Church now stands. The lot formerly belonged to the Buck Family. The congregation bought the lot for $1.00. The church remained unfinished for a number of years. Members took turns acting as sexton for one month, each providing a pound of candles for lighting the church as part of the duties of office. In 1833-34, the members, numbering about 25, deemed a new church a necessity. The building was moved to its present location at the corner of Bank and Washington Streets and fitted up as a chapel for Sunday School purposes. Between 1870 and 1872, the chapel was greatly improved. For a short time (1865-1866) Central Church, being newly organized, worshiped in the chapel at Bank and Washington Streets. The next use of the chapel was a school. In November of 1917 the Bridgeton Board of Education purchased the chapel to supplement the public school system; later it was used for manual training and home economics. When it was no longer needed by the schools, the building was sold in 1941 to for use as a business college. It was acquired by the Full Gospel Assembly in 1944, and in 1964 it was acquired by the First Church of Christ, Scientist, and was completely renovated. Today it houses the Miracle Temple.. Second Presbyterian Church (Bethany Presbyterian) founded ____, built 1840  Christ Church in Easton, Maryland, built between 1840-1848, bears an exceptionally strong resemblance to Bethany; Christ Church was built from plans drawn by William Strickland, a Philadelphia architect, who also designed the strikingly similar St. John's Episcopal church in Salem. I have no doubt that Bethany Presbyterian was built from the same plans as St. John's; the church in Easton was the third one built from those plans. The porch is a later addition, but the three-part door is original. There once was an ornate steeple, identical to the one on the church in Maryland. Strickland was an important American architect; he designed the Second Bank of the United States, in Philadelphia, which gave a real boost to the Greek Revival style.  founded 18__, built 1850 [location] The building is a fascinating combination of elements from different architectural traditions, particularly in one that was erected in 1850. I would have guessed it had been built much later. It clearly was influenced by Philadelphia architectural traditions, and most likely is the product of a Philadelphia architect. Guttae and mutales from the Greek Revival, a highly unusual and purely decorative feature, probably to indicate that the architect knew his stuff. The mutales are spaced across the undersides of the well-articulated pediment, almost as if they were brackets, which we becoming a popular elements. The classical pedimented entrance is unique in the state, as is the recessed windows flanked by pilasters and separated by free-standing Tuscan (or Doric?) columns. Recessed panels between the pilasters.  Bridgeton founded 18--, built 1854 Commerce Street This large stuccoed building was erected in 1854, but the dome is clearly of a later date, added about 1900. The window surrounds and cornice appear to be original. The architect was Thomas Watson. Watson also designed the Berean Baptist Tabernacle in Bridgeton, and the Centenary Methodist church in Camden.  Bridgeton founded 1860, built 1864 [location] The Episcopal Church did not win many adherents in south Jersey; this congregation was organized by 1860 and built Saint Andrew's Church in 1864. It's not in the center of town, it's not the largest or the most stylish (as is often the case), all of which confirms the struggle to gain acceptance in an area generally hostile to the Anglican church. Originally a board-and-battern construction. Note the adjacent chapel. [need separate photo, and perhaps an entry on it.] See Ellis Derry. Old and Historic Churches of New Jersey. vol 1, (2003), pp435-444.  Bridgeton founded 1807, built 1866 [location]  Bridgeton founded 1813, built 1867 Pearl Street The Pearl Street Baptist congregation was organized by 1813, although there had been Baptist services in Bridge Town by 1775. Work was started in this brick church in 1813 (from bricks made at the site), but completion was delayed until 1816 due to the War of 1812. The building has been remodeled over the years, particularly in 1867-68 when an adjoining chapel was constructed. The steeple, for example, would likely have been much taller and grander than what we see today. In July, 1812, the present two acre site of Pearl Street Baptist Church was purchased by the trustees from Daniel Elmer for the sum of 155 dollars. A committee was formed to build a meeting house after the mother church at Roadstown, New Jersey. The building was begun, but due to high prices of materials, it was not completed until December 16, 1816, at which time it was dedicated. The church was named the Second Cohansey Church at Bridgeton, New Jersey and was incorporated in 1828. In 1853, there was a movement among the people for a church "downtown". This new building became the First Baptist Church and the meeting house on Pearl Street was left vacant for some time. During the period of the Civil War and President Lincoln's assassination, political unrest and suspicion caused 66 members to leave the First Baptist Church. On July 17, 1866, they formed Pearl Street Baptist Church. [This is a fascinating story--need to expand.] http://www.pearlstreetbaptist.com/  Bridgeton founded 1813, built 1867 off Pearl Street This red brick chapel was built the same year (1867) as the adjacent church. There are significant similarities in the decorative elements of the two buildings, as one would expect. Apparently Philadelphia architect Frank Furness was involved in the design of this building, but there is no similar note of his involvement in the church itself, which I find a bit curious. The elaborate brackets are typical of the period--usually called Italianate. The window molds are another typical feature.  Bridgeton founded 18__, built 1868 West Commerce & Giles In 1868 a Presbyterian congregation erected a stylish stone church on West Commerce street. This small stone chapel was built immediately adjacent to it prior to completion of the church. Sometimes the chapel prceeded the church itself, but in many instances it was added later, often as a memorial to a significant donor. In this case, I believe the chapel would have been used for services from 1868 until about 1877 when the main church was finally completed. The plan was presumably by Sloane also.  Bridgeton founded 18__, built 1868 West Commerce & Giles 1868 a Presbyterian congregation engaged Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan to design this church. The style is clearly within the Gothic Revival tradition, and I suspect there was at one time a tall spire—or at least plans for one, as that is a hallmark of most of Sloan's work in the Gothic manner. Sloan published the design for the church in his American Builders Journal in 1869. The building was not completed, however, until 1877 when James P. Sims got involved as architect. The design clearly reflects Ithiel Town's plan for Trinity church in New Haven, Connecticut, erected in 18__, which is usually regarded as the first true Gothic church in the country. Constructed in 1868-77, architects Samuel Sloan & James P. Sims, both of Philadelphia. Builder, Smith & Conover. Victorian Gothic style; axial hall church plan with buttressed. walls. One story with balcony or chair loft over entry foundation of stone. Exterior wall coursed ashlar blocks with weatherings and edge trim of dark sandstone. Three window bays wide by seven bays long. Tall arched leaded glass windows typical of Victorian Gothic Style. Slate roof covering steep slope. In 1868 West Presbyterian Church commissioned Samuel Sloan to design the building. By 1869 Sloan published the design in his American Builders Journal and reported that the chapel was complete and that the main walls of the church were above the first floor line. The congregation must have run short of monies during construction because in September of 1877 James P. Sims, Architect of 506 Chestnut, Philadelphia was contracted to finish the building. There is a builders agreement and specifications dated March 27, 1885 for a dwelling designed by Harvey N. Smith of Philadelphia adjoining the church. There is another agreement with Albert F. Randolph, builder of Bridgeton dated March 27, 1885 for a frame dwelling adjoining the parish house. The building is not the only work of Sloan in Bridgeton since he designed a house for the Nixon family on the same street at about the same time. It is important to recognize James P. Sims as present in Bridgeton 1877. He was a designer of churches in Philadelphia and created many fine examples of Gothic Stick Style architecture. He practiced with his brother through the late 1860 and 70's in Philadelphia and south Jersey. We believe Sims was already at work in town when he was asked to finish. The
church has a central tower at the narthex originally intended to have a
steeple reaching 160 ft. Only the first three tiers were actually built
so that the tower look very blunt. The verticality of the entry way is
emphasized by the steep gable of stone over the conventional Gothic
entry arch. There is a fine lacework of mullions in the window above
the entry and a blind gallery of tall Gothic arches intended to be the
base of the belfry. There are corner buttresses on the main block of
the church and its towers but they do not extend in the exaggerated
vertical direction intended by Sloan.  Bridgeton founded 18--, built 1888 This wooden-frame building, erected in 1888, looks like a conventional late nineteenth century Methodist church. In fact, it was erected by a Protestant Methodist congregation that had been kicked out of the main Methodist Episcopal church sixty years earlier. The Protestant Methodist denomination was started by a group of Methodists who argued over the issue of church governance, insisting on greater representation of the laity and a more democratic organization. They were forced out of the parent Methodist Episcopal church in 1828; two years later the Protestant Methodist church was organized. They did not rejoin the parent until well into the twentieth century, although individual congregations did so as the parent church ultimately adopted many of the policies that were the cause of the schism.  Bridgeton founded 1888, built 1888 ---- Bethel Pentacostal Church Erected in 1888, this late Victorian Gothic church exhibits the L-shaped plan common to many Methodist and Baptist churches designed after the Civil War.  Bridgeton founded 1864, built 1889 East Commerce & Bank Streets Organized in 1864, the congregation acquired an odd-shaped site at East Commerce and Bank streets in 1865 and the following year built a brick chapel on the rear portion of the lot (it still survives). In 1889 architects Hazelhurt & Huckel of Philadelphia were engaged and created a sort-of-Gothic basilica with transept, towers, buttresses and other doo-dads—an unusual but interesting combination. The building is too squat and broad to be considered really Gothic in style,  east of Bridgeton founded 18--, built c1890 Route 49 residence? Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Bridgeton founded 18--, built 1892 There was apparently a significant German colony in the Bridgeton area and in 1892 they erected a wooden frame building in a Gothic manner. Thge brick facade is much newer.  Bridgeton founded 18--, built 1894 In 1894 this building was erected in a late Romanesque Revival style. It was designed by Philadelphia architect Frank Watson, who also designed the First Baptist church in town and the Centenary Methodist church in Camden.  Bridgeton founded 1854, built 1898 There are a half-dozen early AME churches in Cumberland County, several of them formed very soon after the African Methodist Episcopal denomination was organized in Philadelphia in 1816. The Bridgeton congregation did not organize until 1854, established by Reverend Caleb Woodyard. Like many of the other AME congregations, they had limited financial resources and built undistinguished churches of no architectural merit. |
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