List of the oldest churches in the United States

Old Ship Church (1681), the oldest surviving Puritan meeting house in Massachusetts

The designation of the oldest church in the United States requires careful use of definitions, and must be divided into two parts, the oldest in the sense of oldest surviving building, and the oldest in the sense of oldest Christian church congregation. Even here, there is the distinction between old church buildings that have been in continuous use as churches, and those that have been converted to other purposes; and between buildings that have been in continuous use as churches and those that were shuttered for many decades.

In terms of congregations, they are distinguished between early established congregations that have been in continuous existence (despite sometimes great theological changes), and early congregations that ceased to exist. Some of these churches are located in areas that were part of the thirteen original colonies that made up the United States in 1776. Others were built in states and territories that were later annexed, such as New Mexico and Puerto Rico. Sites on the list are generally from the First Period of American architecture or earlier.

To be listed here a site must:

be the oldest church in a state, territory, large city (top 50), or oldest of its type (denomination, architectural, etc.);
be freestanding (not a ruin or mound, as there are separate lists for those); and/or
be the oldest congregation of its type (denomination).

Oldest church buildings

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista	San Juan, Puerto Rico	PR	1521-40	Roman Catholic	The oldest church built in the United States and in the (non incorporated) US territory of Puerto Rico. The original cathedral was constructed from wood in 1521. It was destroyed by a hurricane and the current structure constructed in 1540, being reshaped in later centuries, the last time being in 1917. Building has been within the territory of the U.S. since 1898, when Puerto Rico was annexed from Spain.^[1]
Porta Coeli Church	San Germán, Puerto Rico	PR	1609	Roman Catholic	The second oldest church structure in the United States and in the U. S. territory of Puerto Rico
San Miguel Mission	Santa Fe, New Mexico	NM	1610	Roman Catholic	The oldest church built in the continental US. The original adobe walls and altar were built by the Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico, but much of the structure was rebuilt in 1710. Building has been within the U.S. since 1848, when the New Mexico territory was annexed from Mexico.^[2]^[3]
Jamestown Church	Jamestown, Virginia	VA	1639-43	Episcopal	Only the church tower and foundations remain from 1639^[4]
Old Trinity Church, Maryland	Church Creek, Maryland	MD	1675	Episcopal	Church building in continuous use; as such, oldest in the continental US.^[5]
Third Haven Meeting House	Talbot County, Maryland	MD	1681-84	Quaker (Friends)	Oldest Quaker meeting house in the United States.
Old Ship Church	Hingham, Massachusetts	MA	1681	Puritan, Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist	Only remaining 17th-century Puritan meetinghouse in the US.^[6]
St. Luke's Church	Smithfield, Virginia	VA	1682	Episcopal	National Historic Landmark^[7]
Old Indian Meeting House	Mashpee, Massachusetts	MA	1684	Congregational/Native American	Oldest Native American church
King's Chapel	Boston, MA	MA	1686	Unitarian Christian	Oldest continually used religious site in Boston, present church building 1754
Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow	Sleepy Hollow, New York	NY	1685	Dutch Reformed	Oldest church building in New York
Old Quaker Meeting House	Flushing, New York	NY	1694	Quaker (Friends)	Oldest religious building in New York City. The only surviving example in New York State of a typical 17th-century ecclesiastical frame structure of medieval design.^[8]
Merion Friends Meeting House	Merion Station	PA	1695	Quaker (Friends)	Third oldest Friends meeting house in the United States, and oldest place of worship in Pennsylvania
Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes)	Wilmington, Delaware	DE	1698	Lutheran/Episcopal	Oldest Swedish Church in the United States
Great Friends Meeting House	Newport, Rhode Island	RI	1699	Quaker (Friends)	Quaker Meeting House, oldest surviving church in Rhode Island
Gloria Dei (Old Swedes' Church)	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	PA	1700	Lutheran/Episcopal	Oldest surviving church in Philadelphia
Six Principle Baptist Church	North Kingstown, Rhode Island	RI	1703	Baptist	Possibly oldest surviving Baptist church building in the U.S.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church	Burlington	NJ	1703	Episcopal	Oldest church in New Jersey
Rehoboth Presbyterian Church	Rehoboth, Maryland	MD	1706	Presbyterian	Oldest continuously operated Presbyterian church in the United States
St. Andrews Episcopal Church	Charleston, South Carolina	SC	1706	Episcopal	Oldest church in South Carolina
Old Narragansett Church	Wickford, Rhode Island	RI	1707	Episcopal	Oldest surviving colonial Episcopal church in Northeastern USA
St. Michael's Church	Marblehead, Massachusetts	MA	1714	Episcopal	Oldest surviving Episcopal church building in New England on its original foundation
Old North Church	Boston, Massachusetts	MA	1723	Episcopal	Oldest active church building in Boston and a National Historic Landmark, the Old North Church (formal name: Christ Church in the City of Boston) is the location from which the famous signal lanterns are said to have been displayed for Paul Revere's midnight ride during the American Revolution.^[9]
Trinity Church, Newport	Newport, Rhode Island	RI	1726	Episcopal	Oldest Episcopal Parish in Rhode Island
St. John's Episcopal Church	Hampton, Virginia	VA	1728	Episcopal	Oldest Episcopal Parish in the New World
Christ Church	Nanjemoy, Maryland	MD	1732	Episcopal	Oldest Episcopal congregation in Maryland
St. Thomas Episcopal Church	Bath, North Carolina	NC	1734	Episcopal	Oldest church in North Carolina
Cathedral of San Fernando	San Antonio, Texas	TX	1738	Catholic	Oldest church in Texas. Oldest RC Cathedral in contiguous United States.	St. Paul's Episcopal Church	Norfolk, Virginia	VA	1739	Episcopal	Oldest Surviving Building in The City of Norfolk.	Augustus Lutheran Church	Trappe, Pennsylvania	PA	1743	Lutheran	Oldest unaltered Lutheran Church in use by the same congregation
St. Michael's Church	Charleston, South Carolina	SC	1752–1761	Episcopal	Oldest church edifice in Downtown Charleston, SC
St. Paul's Chapel	New York, New York	NY	1766	Episcopal	Oldest church building in Manhattan
Mission San Diego de Alcala	San Diego, California	CA	1769	Roman Catholic	First of the 21 California Missions, oldest church in use in California
The Falls Church	Falls Church, Virginia	VA	1769	Epsicopal	First church in Falls Church, Virginia and established by the colonial Virginia Assembly in May 1732 for the land north of the Occoquan River
Barratt's Chapel	Frederica, Delaware	DE	1780	Methodist	Second oldest Methodist church building in the U.S. built for that purpose (the oldest is St. George's in Philadelphia, PA, built in 1769)
Mission San Juan Capistrano	San Juan Capistrano	CA	1782	Roman Catholic
Wyandot Mission Church	Upper Sandusky	OH	1824	Methodist	The oldest Methodist mission church in America

Oldest Continuous Church Congregations

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista	San Juan, Puerto Rico	PR	1521	Roman Catholic	The oldest continuous church congregation in a (non incorporated) territory of the US.^[1]
Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.	St. Augustine, Florida	FL	1565	Roman Catholic	Oldest parish in continuous existence in the United States of America. Parish established September 8, 1565, as San Agustin de La Florida, by Spanish conqueror Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles. Parish records since 1594 available in the Archives of the Diocese of St. Augustine.^[10]
San Juan Bautista Church	Ohkay Owingeh (formerly, San Juan Pueblo)	NM	1598	Roman Catholic	Oldest Native American congregation in the United States, and one of the oldest congregations in the United States^[11]^[12]^[13]
St. John's Episcopal Church (Hampton, Virginia)	Hampton, Virginia	VA	1610	Episcopal	Oldest English-speaking parish in continuous existence in the United States of America, current building from 1728^[14]
West Parish Church	West Barnstable, Massachusetts	MA	1616	Congregational	Oldest church congregation on Cape Cod. Founded in 1616 in England by Rev. Henry Jacob by breaking with the Church of England. The second Pastor, Rev. John Lothrop, and 32 followers were imprisoned in 1632 by the Crown, and then released in 1634 on condition that they leave England. In 1639 Lothrop and 22 families found the town of Barstable.^[15]
First Parish Church in Plymouth	Plymouth, Massachusetts	MA	1620	Originally Separatist (Calvinist) Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist	-
Marble Collegiate Church	New York, New York	NY	1628	Reformed	Oldest church congregation in New York State (building from 1854)
First Church in Boston	Boston, Massachusetts	MA	1630	Originally Puritan (Calvinist) Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist	Oldest congregation in Boston, Massachusetts (building from 1968)
First Parish Watertown (Watertown, Massachusetts)	Watertown, Massachusetts	MA	1630	Originally Puritan (Calvinist) Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist
Christ Church	Stevensville, Maryland	MD	1632	Episcopal	Oldest congregation in Maryland, building from 1880 pictured. (current building from 1995)
First Parish Church (Dover, New Hampshire)	Dover, New Hampshire	NH	1632	Congregational	Oldest congregation in New Hampshire (current building from 1825).
Center Church (The First Church of Christ in Hartford)	Hartford, Connecticut	CT	1632	Congregational	Oldest congregation in Connecticut (current building from 1807)
First Baptist Church in America	Providence, Rhode Island	RI	1638	Baptist	First Baptist Church founded in America, oldest church congregation in Rhode Island, oldest Baptist congregation in America (building from 1775)
First Church, Sandwich Massachusetts	Sandwich, Massachusetts	MA	1638	Congregational church	First Congregational Church founded in Cape Cod by Mayflower Pilgrims, second oldest church congregation in Cape Cod (building from 1848)
First Church in Albany	Albany, New York	NY	1642	Reformed	Established in 1642 to serve the Dutch inhabitants of the patroonship of Rensselaerswyck. (building from 1790s)
First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica	New York, New York	NY	1662	Presbyterian	Oldest Presbyterian church congregation in continuous existence
First Congregational Church of Greenwich	Greenwich, CT	CT	1665	Congregational	Oldest congregation in Greenwich (wooden buildings in 1667, 1694, 1735 and 1835. Present stone building in 1896.)
St. Philip's Episcopal Church (Charleston, South Carolina)	Charleston, SC	SC	1681	Episcopal	Oldest Episcopal Congregation south of Virginia, present church building 1838
King's Chapel	Boston, MA	MA	1686	Unitarian Christian	Oldest continually used religious site in Boston, present church building 1754
Brandywine Baptist Church (Chadds Ford, PA)	Chadds Ford, PA	PA	1692	Baptist	Oldest Baptist Church in America West of Philadelphia^[16]^[17]
First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	PA	1692	Presbyterian
Christ Church, Philadelphia	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	PA	1695	Episcopal	Oldest Episcopal congregation in Pennsylvania
Trinity Church, New York	New York, NY	NY	1697	Episcopal	Chartered by King William III in 1697.
Trinity Church, Newport	Newport, Rhode Island	RI	1698	Episcopal	Oldest Episcopal Parish in Rhode Island
St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Perth Amboy, New Jersey)	Perth Amboy, New Jersey	NJ	1698	Episcopal	Oldest Episcopal parish in New Jersey (current building from 1849). Graveyard contains the oldest gravestone in New Jersey
Ste. Anne de Detroit, Detroit, Michigan	Detroit, Michigan	MI	1701	Roman Catholic	Founded in 1701 two days after the founding of Detroit. Current building from 1886
Trinity Church (Swedesboro, New Jersey)	Swedesboro, New Jersey	NJ	1703	Episcopal (originally Swedish Lutheran)	First Swedish congregation in New Jersey
Trinity Episcopal Church (Woodbridge, New Jersey)	Woodbridge, New Jersey	NJ	1703	Episcopal	One of the 1703 Episcopal parishes in New Jersey (current building from 1861)
St. Michael's Church, Trenton, New Jersey	Trenton, New Jersey	NJ	1703	Episcopal	One of the 1703 Episcopal parishes in New Jersey (current building from 1810)
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey	Burlington, New Jersey	NJ	1703	Episcopal	One of the 1703 Episcopal parishes in New Jersey (oldest Episcopal church building in New Jersey)
Old St. Joseph's Parish	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	PA	1733	Roman Catholic	Oldest Catholic congregation in Pennsylvania. Present church building opened in 1757.
Most Blessed Sacrament Parish	Bally, Pennsylvania	PA	1741	Roman Catholic	Oldest RC Church in the original thirteen colonies still in continuous use in original building, original name St. Paul's Chapel
Congaree Baptist Church (Gadsden, South Carolina)	Gadsden, SC	SC	1765	Baptist	Second oldest Baptist congregation in South Carolina (current building constructed in 1810)
John Street Methodist Church	New York City	NY	1766	Methodist	The congregation is the oldest Methodist congregation in North America, founded on October 12, 1766 as the Wesleyan Society in America (building built in 1841)
St. George's Methodist Church	Philadelphia	PA	1769	Methodist	Oldest Methodist church building in continuous use in the United States (congregation founded in 1767)
Barratt's Chapel	Kent County, Delaware	Delaware	1780	Methodist	oldest surviving church building in the United States built by and for Methodists
Mother Bethel AME Church	Philadelphia	PA	1794	African Methodist Episcopal (AME)	AME Church and denomination (1816) founded in Philadelphia; oldest congregation in the United States (building from 1890)

By state

Alabama

Indian Springs Baptist Church, possibly the oldest surviving church building. Circa 1825.^[18]
Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Mobile, congregation established in 1703, took current name in 1781, current building completed in 1850 (Roman Catholic)
Mt. Calvary Presbyterian Church, Clay, AL. Founded in 1806.
Flint River Primitive Baptist Church, founded in 1808 (Baptist)
Hurricane Baptist Church, Gilbertown, AL, founded in 1816(Baptist)
Canaan Baptist Church, Bessemer, was founded in 1818 (Southern Baptist).
Round Island Baptist Church (Athens, Limestone County) was founded in 1817.
Old Salem Baptist Church, Monroe County was founded in Nov. 1817 and is still an active church.

Alaska

Church of the Holy Ascension, Oldest church building, built in 1826 (Eastern Orthodox)
St. Michael's Cathedral (Sitka, Alaska) (Eastern Orthodox)
Russian Orthodox Church in Kodiak Alaska, Oldest congregation, founded in 1794 (Eastern Orthodox)
Sitka Lutheran Church, Oldest Protestant church congregation, founded in 1839 (Lutheran)

Arkansas

Rockport First United Methodist Church, Rockport (near Malvern) -- oldest continually operating congregation in the state, organized in 1816
Smyrna Church, Searcy - Oldest church building in the state, built in 1856 (Methodist)^[19]^[20]

Arizona

Mission San Xavier del Bac, Oldest church building, built 1780-1797 (Roman Catholic)
St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Tombstone, Arizona), Oldest Protestant church, built in 1882 (Episcopal)

California

Emmanuel Church in Coloma, Oldest Protestant church building, built in 1855 (Methodist/Episcopal)
Mission San Juan Capistrano, Oldest church building, built in 1782 (Roman Catholic)
Mission San Diego de Alcalá, Oldest congregation, founded in 1769 (Roman Catholic)
Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco, Oldest Protestant church congregation, founded in 1849 (Presbyterian)

Colorado

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Antonito, Oldest church building and congregation, built in 1857 (Roman Catholic)
St. James Methodist Church in Central City, Oldest Protestant^[21] church in Colorado still used as a church, oldest Protestant congregation (1859) and oldest Protestant church in the state (1871) (Methodist)

Connecticut

Abington Congregational Church, Oldest church building, built in 1751 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
First Church of Windsor, Oldest church congregation, founded in 1633 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
Lakeville Methodist Church, Oldest standing Methodist church in New England.
First Church of Christ, Oldest Church building in Glastonbury, founded 1693

Delaware

Old Swede's in Wilmington, Delaware

Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes), Oldest church building in Delaware, built in 1698 (Lutheran/Episcopal)
Barratt's Chapel, oldest surviving church building in the United States built by and for Methodists (built in 1780), known as the "Cradle of Methodism" in America.

Florida

Historic Middleburg United Methodist Church

Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. Parish established September 8, 1565. Present church cornerstone laid in 1793, dedicated in 1797. Elevated to Cathedral when Diocese of St. Augustine was created in 1870. Became Basilica in 1976.
Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Augustine is Florida's second oldest Episcopal Church. It opened its doors in 1831. Trinity remains on its original site, and with its original steeple that was completed in 1837.
Memorial United Methodist Church (Fernandina Beach, Florida) Oldest continuous Methodist church in Florida. Established in 1822 by Elijah Sinclair. First building was on Broome and 6th Street in historic downtown Fernandina Beach. The congregation moved to larger, and their current, building in the 1920s at 601 Centre Street. Sister church to Trinity United Methodist Church.
Old Christ Church (Pensacola, Florida). Oldest church in Florida on its original foundation, incorporated by an act of the Territorial Legislature in 1829, built in 1832. The building was desecrated during the War Between the States, restored, deconsecrated in the past 20 years and is now owned and operated by The Old Christ Church Foundation. The congregation is located in [new] Christ Church, 18 West Wright Street, Pensacola, built in 1905 (Episcopal)
Mount Beasor Primitive Baptist Church (Sopchoppy, Florida) established in 1853 (Baptist).
St. John's Episcopal Church (Tallahassee, Florida). St. John's is the mother church of the Diocese of Florida. It was founded as a mission parish in 1829, and the church's first building was erected in 1837. The Diocese was organized at St. John's in 1838 and Francis Huger Rutledge, who became rector of St. John's in 1845, was consecrated the first Bishop of Florida in 1851. The original church burned in 1879; a new church was built on the same site and consecrated in 1888, and it is still the parish's principal place of worship.^[22]
Middleburg United Methodist Church, 3925 Main Street, Middleburg, FL 32068, oldest Methodist Meeting House in the State of Florida. Historical Marker states it was founded on or before July 27, 1828 by Isaac Boring, with the first church erected in 1847. It was built mostly by the hands of slaves, who retained a pew in the back of the church. Services are still conducted every Sunday, and, on special occasions. Its sermons and musical sounds, and beauty, resonates from the wood planks, hand cut, and, pews hand crafted with peg and board design, and, the intricate chandeliers providing light from above. This church congregation has celebrated its 192nd. year in 2015, which dates it back to 1823...to the founding congregants. Originally, Methodist Circuit Riders would hold meetings in homes, until the original church was erected (1847). Come and listen to the glory of the church bell toll, as it did for the first time February 29, 1860, for the funeral of the son of George Branning, who had the bell shipped from where it was cast in New York. As a member, it is still a special little church on Black Creek, where you can "Come and Worship, Go and Witness."

Georgia

Christ Church (Episcopal) is the Mother Church of Georgia. It was founded in 1733 and assigned its land plot by General James Oglethorpe.
Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Oldest church building in Georgia, built in 1769 (Lutheran)
First African Baptist Church (Savannah, Georgia), claims continuous ties with Silver Bluff Baptist Church congregation as oldest black Baptist congregation, 1774-1775 (Baptist)
Springfield Baptist Church (Augusta, Georgia) also has continuous congregational ties to Silver Bluff Baptist Church (Baptist)
Antioch Christian Church (Watkinsville, Georgia. The oldest Disciples of Christ congregation in Georgia, established in 1806.

Guam

Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica (Roman Catholic) is a structure located on the site where the first Catholic church on the United States territory of Guam was constructed in 1669. The current building was erected in 1959, after the destruction of the former church in WWII.

Hawaii

Mokuaikaua Church, Oldest church congregation and building, founded in 1820, built in 1837 (Congregational)
Kawaiahao Church, Oldest church congregation, founded in 1820, current structure dedicated in 1842 (Congregational)

Idaho

Christ Chapel (Boise, Idaho), Oldest Protestant church, built in 1866 (Episcopal)
Old Mission, Oldest church building in Idaho, built in 1848 (Roman Catholic)

Illinois

Church of the Holy Family (Cahokia), Oldest church building, built in 1799 (Roman Catholic)
First Baptist Church of Elizabethtown, Oldest Baptist church congregation in Illinois, possibly oldest Protestant church, founded in 1806 (Baptist)
Flat Creek Missionary Baptist Church (East Carondelet), Established 1809. Due to its location (Flat Creek Bottom), the people in the area began referring to the church as Flat Creek Baptist Church, although the members officially named the church, "The Missionary Baptist Church of East Carondelet".
Shiloh United Methodist Church (Shiloh, Illinois) established 1807. Current building same location 1825.
Mulkeytown Christian Church, established 1818, is the oldest Independent Christian Church. It is now a part of the fellowship of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ or the "Independent Christian Church" a group which separated from the Disciples of Christ beginning in 1924. The oldest congregation still affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is Barney's Priarie in Mt. Carmel, established 1816.

Indiana

Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Oldest church building, built in 1812 (Baptist)
Stony Point Christian Church, Charlestown, Oldest Protestant congregation in Indiana, constituted in 1789
Old Cathedral Complex, Oldest congregation, founded in 1749 (Roman Catholic)

Iowa

Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Pleasant Grove, Iowa, Oldest Protestant church congregation, founded in 1832 (Presbyterian)
St. Raphael's Cathedral (Dubuque, Iowa), Oldest church congregation in Iowa, founded in 1833 (Roman Catholic)
St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa), Oldest church building, built in 1838 (Roman Catholic)

Kansas

White Church Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Oldest continuously used church building, built in 1832

Kentucky

Cane Ridge Meeting House, Possibly the oldest church building, built in 1791 (Presbyterian and Disciples of Christ)

Louisiana

Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans, Oldest Protestant church congregation in Louisiana (1803)
St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, Oldest congregation and church building in Louisiana, founded in 1718, and built in 1793 (Roman Catholic)

Maine

First Congregational Church and Parsonage (Kittery, Maine), Possibly the oldest church building in Maine, built in 1729 (Congregational).
First Parish Congregational Church of York, Maine. Oldest church congregation,^[23] (Congregational/United Church of Christ) founded before 1672, organized in the Congregational tradition by Shubael Dummer.^[24]

Maryland

Old Trinity Church, Maryland, 1675, Episcopal, building in continuous use; as such, oldest in the US.^[5]
Third Haven Meeting House, oldest Quaker building in the US, built in 1682
Rehoboth Presbyterian Church (Somerset County, MD), the oldest Presbyterian Church in continuous use (USA), built in 1706^[25]
Sacred Heart Church (Bowie, Maryland) Built 1741
St. James Episcopal Church (Baltimore, Maryland) at Lafayette Square, Oldest African American congregation south of the Mason–Dixon line (1824)
St. Paul's Church, in Clear Spring, Washington County (1747)
Old Otterbein, oldest church edifice in continuous use in the city of Baltimore (built 1785-1786) and the mother church of the United Brethren in Christ.

Massachusetts

First Church in Plymouth, Oldest congregation founded 1620 (building 1899), (Puritan, Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist)
First Congregational Church of Marshfield, gathered in 1632 (same building since 1838) (Congregational) [1]
First Congregational Church, First Church in Roxbury, founded/built in 1632 (majorly rebuilt 4 times, but constantly in use) (Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist. Serves as headquarters for community outreach program "UU Urban Ministry").
First Baptist Church in Swansea, Oldest Baptist congregation in MA, founded in 1663 (Baptist)
First Parish in Cambridge, founded on February 1, 1636 at the First Church (Evangelical, now Unitarian Universalist)
Old Ship Church, Oldest church building, built 1681, (Puritan, Congregational, now Unitarian Universalist)
St. Michael's Church (Marblehead, Massachusetts). Oldest Episcopal Church in New England on its original foundation, built 1714, and still used daily year-round. A National Historic Landmark.
Old North Church, Official name: Christ Church in the City of Boston. Oldest standing church building in Boston, built 1723 (Episcopal) a National Historic Landmark significant for its role in the American Revolution.
Old Ship Church, built in 1681, is one of the oldest buildings in America. The congregation was gathered in 1635. It was originally a Puritan, Congregationalist congregation, but is now affiliated with the Unitarian Universalists.

Michigan

Ste. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church, Oldest congregation (Roman Catholic) founded 2 days after Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founded Detroit in 1701.
Mission Church, Mackinac Island, Oldest church building, built 1829-30 (Congregational)
Central United Methodist Church, Detroit, First Methodist and First Protestant congregation. Established 1810. Their first church building was built in 1818. In 2010 they celebrated their 200th Anniversary.^[26]

Minnesota

Saint Peter's Church (Mendota, Minnesota), Oldest church in continuous use in Minnesota, built in 1853 (Roman Catholic)
Wabasha United Church of Christ, Oldest Protestant congregation, founded in 1857 (Congregational)
First Presbyterian Church (Stillwater, Minnesota), oldest Presbyterian congregation, founded December 8, 1849.

Missouri

●Settlers started meeting together in homes for worship on the Missouri River near the present village of Rocheport 12 years after Lewis and Clark camped there in 1804. In 1837, they were chartered as the Rocheport Christian Church (Disciples of Christ ). The present building, built in 1847, has been in continuous use since that time. The church building and congregation have survived Missouri River floods and infestations of termites.

The congregation continues with weekly Sunday School and Holy Communion. Sunday worship is held on the first Sunday of each month. A Bluegrass Worship service is held at 5 p.m. on the First Saturday night each month.

In 2015, the church was named the Missouri Rural Church of the year.

In 1799, the first Protestant sermon and baptism immersion west of the Mississippi River was performed in Randol Creek near modern-day Dutchtown, Missouri.^[27]
Fee Fee Baptist Church in Bridgeton, Oldest Protestant church congregation, founded in 1807 (Baptist)
McKendree Chapel, a log cabin style chapel built in 1819 known as the oldest Protestant church standing west of the Mississippi River; the church was organized in 1809 (Methodist)
St. Ferdinand's Shrine, Oldest church building, built in 1821 (Roman Catholic)
St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Kansas City, is the oldest Episcopal Church congregation in Missouri, founded in 1857

Mississippi

Woodville Baptist Church, Oldest church building, built in 1809 (Baptist)
Jersey Settlers, Adams County, oldest Protestant congregation, 1772, Reverend Samuel Swayze

Montana

St. Mary's Mission (Montana), Oldest church congregation, founded in 1841 (Roman Catholic)
First Baptist Church in Stevensville, Possibly oldest Protestant church building, built in 1882 (Baptist)
Melville Lutheran Church, oldest Lutheran congregation, founded in 1885, church building still in use (Lutheran)
Dry Creek Bible, Belgrade, oldest continually active Protestant church, established November 1884

Nebraska

First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue, Oldest church building, built in 1856 (Presbyterian)^[28]

Nevada

First Presbyterian Church of Carson City, Oldest church building, built in 1864 (Presbyterian)

New Hampshire

First Parish Church in Dover, Oldest congregation founded in 1632 (Congregational/United Church of Christ)
Newington Meeting House is the oldest church building in New Hampshire (1717, Congregational).

New Jersey

St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Oldest church building, built in 1703 (Episcopal)
Old Bergen Church, Oldest church congregation, founded in 1660 (Reformed)

New Mexico

First Presbyterian Church in Santa Fe, founded in 1867, Oldest Protestant Church congregation in New Mexico (Presbyterian)
San Miguel Mission, Oldest church building, built in 1610 (Roman Catholic)
San Juan de los Caballeros/San Juan Bautista, Established 1598, second oldest foundation in the United States (Roman Catholic)

New York

Marble Collegiate Church, Oldest congregation founded in 1628 (building 1851) (Reformed)
Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, Oldest church building, built in 1685 (Reformed)
Clarkson Community Church, Monroe County, New York, founded in 1816, built in 1825 (Baptist)^[29]
Old Dutch Church (Kingston, New York), one of the oldest continuously existing congregations in the country, since 1659

North Carolina

St. Thomas Episcopal Church (Bath, North Carolina), Oldest church building, built in 1734 (Episcopal)

Rockfish Presbyterian Church, (Wallace, North Carolina) 1756

Home Moravian Church (Winston-Salem, NC), established on November 13, 1771. (Moravian)
Brook's Chapel Church (Polksville, North Carolina), established in 1869 (Methodist)

North Dakota

First Presbyterian Church of Bismarck, Oldest congregation, founded in 1873 (Presbyterian)
Glencoe Presbyterian Church, Oldest church building used by original congregation, built in 1885 (Presbyterian)
First Congregation, Assumption Catholic Church in Pembina, 1818

Ohio

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, North Canton Ohio Founded in 1806. Is one of the oldest congregations in the state of Ohio that is still meeting today. The church was also mentioned in an exhibit at the McKinley Presidential Museum in North Canton, Ohio as one of the oldest churches in the state.^[30]^[31]
The Church in Aurora, The original church was Congregational, formed in 1809, shortly after Aurora was founded.^[32]^[33]
West Union Presbyterian Church, Oldest church building still in use as a church, built in 1810 (Presbyterian)
First Lutheran Church in Canton, Ohio was built in 1810 and still operates today. It is considered "The Cradle of Lutheranism in Ohio."
First Church of the Resurrection founded in 1810 and was built in 1862 and still in use today (Non-Denominational)
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, South Bass Island, Oldest wooden church building still in use as a church, built in 1865 (Episcopal)
St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral, first Orthodox parish in Cleveland (organized in 1896)
Hopewell Methodist Church in Rush Run, Ohio, oldest Methodist Church in Ohio (1803), site of the first Methodist sermon preached in the Northwest Territory (1787) and the first Methodist ordination in Ohio (1803)
Nast Trinity United Methodist Church (Cincinnati, Ohio), built in 1881, it is the home of the first German Methodist church to be established anywhere in the world.
Holy Assumption Orthodox Church in Marblehead, Ohio. Oldest Orthodox church building in Ohio, built in 1906.

Oklahoma

Wheelock Church, Oldest church building, built in 1846 (Presbyterian)
Ottawa Indian Baptist Church founded in march of 1840 estb. built in Oklahoma in March 1860

Oregon

St. Paul Roman Catholic Church (St. Paul, Oregon), Oldest church building, built in 1846 (Roman Catholic)
Oregon City United Methodist Church, Oldest Protestant church, founded in 1844 (Methodist)

Pennsylvania

Merion Friends Meeting House, oldest church building in Pennsylvania (1695), Merion Station (Quaker).
Brandywine Baptist Church, 2nd oldest Baptist Church in Pennsylvania (1692), Chadds Ford (Baptist).^[16]^[17]
New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gilbertsville,Pennsylvania, built in 1700 (Lutheran/Episcopal)
Gloria Dei (Old Swedes' Church), second oldest church building, built in 1700 (Lutheran/Episcopal)
Old St. Joseph's Church, oldest Roman Catholic congregation in Pennsylvania (1733)
Beulah Presbyterian Church 2500 McCrady Road, Pittsburgh PA 15235, Since 1784^[34]
Old St. George's Methodist Church, built in 1769, America's first and oldest continuously used Methodist church in the world.
African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, founded 1792, oldest black Episcopal congregation in the United States (Episcopal)
Mother Bethel AME Church, oldest African Methodist Episcopal congregation, founded 1794 (African Methodist Episcopal)
Old Trinity Church, one of the oldest churches in Philadelphia, erected 1711 (Episcopal)

Puerto Rico

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, Oldest church building, built in 1521 (Roman Catholic)
San Jose Church, Iglesia de San Jose, was constructed in the 1530s by Dominican friars for use by their Saint Thomas Aquinas monastery. The church is located in Old San Juan. (Roman Catholic)
Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Ponce, Oldest Protestant church, founded in 1872 (Anglican)

Rhode Island

First Baptist Church in America, oldest congregation in RI, founded in 1638 (building 1775) (Baptist).
Six Principle Baptist Church, one of the oldest Baptist church buildings in the U.S., built in 1703, (Baptist)
Trinity Church, Newport, oldest Anglican congregation in RI, founded in 1698 (building 1726) (Episcopal).
Great Friends Meeting House, oldest church building in RI, built in 1699 (Quaker).
Old Narragansett Church, Wickford, oldest Episcopal church building in New England (1707).

South Carolina

St. Philip's Episcopal Church (Charleston, South Carolina), oldest Episcopal congregation south of Virginia, founded 1681 (Episcopal)
First Baptist Church (Charleston, South Carolina), oldest Baptist congregation in the South, founded in 1682 (Baptist)
Presbyterian Church on Edisto - 1685^[35]
St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Charleston, South Carolina), Oldest church building, built in 1706 (Episcopal)
Silver Bluff Baptist Church, oldest black Baptist congregation in the nation, founded 1774-1775 (Baptist)
St. James Church (Goose Creek, South Carolina), built in 1719 (Episcopal)^[36]
Congaree Baptist Church (Gadsden, South Carolina) Founded in 1765. Present church building constructed around 1810.
First Baptist Church (Sumter, South Carolina) Church building built in 1820.

South Dakota

Renner Lutheran Church, Oldest operating church building, built in 1878 (Lutheran)

Tennessee

Sinking Creek Baptist Church, Oldest church building, Oldest congregation and building, founded in 1772 (Baptist)
Suggs Creek Cumberland Presbyterian, First Confession of Faith of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was adopted in 1814, Suggs Creek church founded in 1800 (Cumberland Presbyterian)
Double Springs Baptist Church (Sullivan County), Founded in 1786 by Jonathan Mulkey
First Presbyterian Church (Greeneville, Tennessee), oldest congregation in Greene County, founded in 1780 by Rev. Samuel Doak

Texas

Cathedral of San Fernando, Possibly oldest church building, built 1738-1750 (Roman Catholic)
McMahan Chapel in St. Augustine, the oldest Protestant church congregation in Texas, founded in 1833 (Methodist)
San Felipe United Methodist Church, the oldest Protestant church building in Texas, built in 1838 (Methodist)
Ysleta Mission, Possibly the oldest continuous congregation, founded in 1680 (Roman Catholic)
Our Lady of Loreto Chapel, at the Presidio La Bahia, Goliad, founded in 1779 (Roman Catholic)
First Presbyterian Church at San Antonio, the first Protestant church in San Antonio, founded in 1846 (Presbyterian)

Utah

Bountiful Tabernacle, Oldest Mormon Tabernacle, built in 1857 (Mormon)
First Congregational Church, Salt Lake City, first non-LDS church in the state, 1865
St. Mark's Cathedral, Salt Lake City, oldest non-LDS Church building in continual use, built in 1871 (Episcopal)

Vermont

First Congregational Church of Bennington, Oldest congregation, founded in 1762 (Congregational)
Rockingham Meeting House, one of the two oldest church buildings, built in 1787 (Congregational)
Thetford Meeting House, Thetford Hill, one of the two oldest church buildings, built in 1787 (Congregational)

Virginia

St. John's Episcopal Church (Hampton, Virginia), Oldest English-speaking parish in continuous existence in the United States of America, founded in 1610 (Episcopal)^[14]
St. Luke's Church, Oldest complete church building, built 1682; this date, however, is controversial. The church interprets the extant physical evidence as indicating 1632^[37] (Episcopal).
Slash Church or Slash Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Oldest wooden frame church building in Virginia, built in 1729
The Falls Church, The Episcopal parish was established in 1732 and the brick meeting house preserved on site dates to 1769
Augusta Stone Church (Near Staunton, VA), (Presbyterian), Oldest Presbyterian church in Virginia. The wood meeting house was built in 1740, and was replaced with the current stone church (still in use) in 1749. The stone church was used as both sanctuary and a repose from Indian attacks. It is listed in the Augusta County Historical Register.^[38]

Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church (Abingdon, Virginia) first congregated in 1772 and was founded by Rev. Charles Cummings

First Baptist Church (Petersburg, Virginia), contends as the oldest organized black Baptist congregation, organized 1774 (Baptist)
Kempsville Baptist Church (Virginia Beach, Virginia), Established with the Baptist Association on May 21, 1814
Old Chapel (Clarke County, Virginia) Oldest Episcopal church still in use west of the Blue Ridge Mountains; current building built 1790
St. John's Church (Richmond, Virginia), Oldest wooden church building, built 1741
Jerusalem Christian Church (1791), King William Virginia, oldest congregation affiliated with the Christian Churches and churches of Christ. It was once affiliated with the Disciples of Christ.

Washington

Claquato Church, the oldest church and the oldest standing building in Washington State. Built in 1857. Originally housed a Methodist Episcopal congregation.
Tumwater Methodist Church, 219 W. B Street in Tumwater, Washington. Built in 1872 and added to the National Register in 1984. Currently houses St. James Anglican Church.
St. Luke's Episcopal Church, oldest Episcopal congregation, continuously from 1860

Washington, D.C.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Rock Creek Parish (Washington, D.C.), Oldest congregation and oldest church building, founded in 1717, current building constructed in 1775, but incorporating parts of the 1717 structure (Episcopal)

West Virginia

Rehoboth Church, oldest church building, built in 1785 (Methodist), and oldest church building west of the main range of the Allegheny Mountains.

Wisconsin

Methodist Episcopal Church in Mineral Point, Oldest Protestant congregation in Wisconsin, founded in 1834 (Methodist)
St. Gabriel's Church, Oldest church building built in Wisconsin, built in 1835 (Roman Catholic)
St. Joan of Arc Chapel, Oldest church building in Wisconsin, built in 15th century Chasse, France; moved to Wisconsin 1965 (Roman Catholic)

Wyoming

First United Methodist Church (Cheyenne, Wyoming), Possibly the oldest church congregation, founded in 1869 (Methodist)

References

1 2 http://humanidades.uprrp.edu/ahpr/?page_id=652
↑ http://sanmiguelchapel.org/
↑ http://www.sanmiguelmission.org/
↑ Nellie Urner Wallington , Historic Churches of America, 1907, p. 8
1 2 "Old Trinity Church HABS MD No. 201" (PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey. US National Park Service. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
↑ "Old Ship Church", National Park Service
↑ W. Eugene Kleinbauer, Modern Perspectives in Western Art History: An Anthology, Medieval Academy of America, 1989, p. 315
↑ National Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings, 1970
↑ Fischer 1994, p. 99.
↑ http://www.dosafl.com/our-history/
↑ http://www.sanjuan1598.com/#!__history
↑ http://www.thv11.com/story/news/local/trending/2014/02/20/1760420/
↑ http://www.nps.gov/subjects/travelspanishmissions/mission-san-juan-bautista.htm
1 2 Tormey, James (April 2009). How Firm a Foundation. Richmond, VA: Diets Press. p. 184. ISBN 978-0-87517-135-7.
↑ http://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20160508/worlds-oldest-congregational-church-celebrates-400-years
1 2 http://articles.philly.com/1993-04-08/news/25979325_1_sunrise-services-easter-sunrise-liturgy
1 2 http://articles.philly.com/1992-11-08/news/26008940_1_church-today-massive-oaks-oil-painting
↑ http://www.ruralswalabama.org/attractions/indian-springs-baptist-church-ca-1825-near-mcwilliams-al/
↑ Patsy Pipkin, "Walk Through History event brings to life memories of Smyrna Church", Arkansas Online, 13 Dec 2009, accessed 27 Sep 2010
↑ "Restoration Almost Complete for Arkansas 85", Texarkana Gazette, 27 Sep 2010, accessed 27 Sep 2010
↑ Hostetter, Lance. "Prayer, worship and community keep Conejos flock strong". Valley Courier. NewsMedia Corp., Alamosa, Colorado. Retrieved 25 Nov 2012.
↑ "History & Description of St. John's".
↑ "First Parish Church". Meeting House History. First Parish Congregational Church of York. 2009. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
↑ Farmer, John (1838). "Memoirs of Ministers". In E. Cornelius; et al. Quarterly register and journal of the American education society. The American quarterly register.
↑ http://mht.maryland.gov/nr/NRDetail.aspx?NRID=259
↑ Central United Methodist Church (Detroit)
↑ "Anniversaries in 1949 of Events Recorded in The Missourian Files". Southeast Missouri. Cape Girardeau, Missouri. January 29, 1949.
↑ http://1stpresbvue.org/
↑ https://rocwiki.org/Clarkson_Community_Church
↑ http://htlccanton.squarespace.com/history/
↑ http://mckinleymuseum.org/
↑ http://www.sacredlandmarks.us/ohio/portage-county/church-of-aurora/
↑ http://aurorahistorical.org/aurora-timeline/
↑ http://www.beulahpresby.org/
↑ http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/charleston-county/edisto-island-presbyterian.html
↑ James Dillon (23 April 1976). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: St. James' Church, Goose Creek" (pdf). National Park Service. and Accompanying five photos, exterior and interior, from 1975 and 1970 (32 KB)
↑ http://www.historicstlukes.org/history/
↑ http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Augusta/007-0004_Augusta_Stone_Church_1973_Final_Nomination.pdf

External links

Archinform.net: International Architecture database

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