We're continuing to talk about all things Washington Township this month. Today, we'll take a look at the Washington United Methodist Church since it's celebrating its 200th Anniversary this year.
Originally known as the First Methodist Episcopal Church, it got started in 1823 when the original class of Methodists held prayer meetings from house to house. This group included Elon and Nancy Andrus (the parents of Loren Andrus who built the Octagon House on Van Dyke Road), Polly Greene, John Holland, and Aurilla and Laura Miller. In 1846, the edifice was built, and it cost $1,150 (that would be $45,854.43 in today's money) according to a contract signed by Elon, Abel David W. Noyes, and John Keeler. A 1953 Romeo Observer article incorrectedly listed the original building date as 1844. A belfrey was added, and in 1854, a man named J.Z. Kelsey donated a bell. Additional improvements were made in 1869, and on January 30, 1878, the building's renovations were complete, and it was rededicated.
It later changed its name to the First Methodist Church of Washington.
This is the church seen here, which originally appeared in the September 25, 1952 issue of The Romeo Observer. Specifically, it was displayed in an article that talked about how Washington is a village of contrast with modern and tradition residing side by side. The church was the oldest one in the Washington area. In fact, this photograph was shown along side the Our Holy Reedemer Lutheran Church - the newest church in Washington at that time since it was constructed in 1950.
Sadly, on December 17, 1953, the wooden church was destroyed in a fire. The cause was either "sparks from the chimney clean out compartment or a short circuit in the electrical outlet box located in the rear end of the building."
The good news was that the church was rebuilt with the cornerstone for the new structure being laid at the same site on Sunday, November 21, 1954. If one wants more details, I go into specifics about the recovery process in this blog post. By the end of 1955, the edifice as we know it was completed, and that's the one that still stands today on Van Dyke Road!
To discover more about the history of Washington Township, you can contact the Romeo Community Archives at rca@romemodistrictlibrary.org and/or check out the Washington Historical Museum. The latter is open 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the Month from June through November.
Source: The Romeo Observer, September 25, 1953, p.II-4 and p.II-5; The Romeo Observer, December 24, 1953, p.I-1, p.I-4, and p.III-2; and November 18, 1954, p.I-4; and Washington Township: Images of America by Linda Osborne Cynowa, 2019