Immanuel Episcopal Church (c. early 1900s)
Immanuel Episcopal Church (c. 2016)
Site Name:
Immanuel Episcopal Church
Date of construction: 1853
Reason for construction: Though merely built to be a church, this site served
to revitalize the Episcopal Church in the state of Virginia, and soon after
served as a Union field hospital during the civil war.
Site History: Although
the Church itself was built by George Washington Bassett, grandnephew of Martha
Washington, in 1853, its location had been used since the early 18th
century for church meetings, which met under a simple frame. Once the gothic-style
brick church was built, it quickly became a representation of the
revitalization of the Episcopal Church. According to Bishop John Johns, who
consecrated the building, the name Immanuel was chosen because it means “God
with us” in Hebrew. From its founding until roughly 1857, the Immanuel Church
was considered a ‘lesser’ church to the Saint Paul’s Church at Hanover
Courthouse, however the small size of the Saint
Paul’s congregation soon inspired the two churches to converge, and
Immanuel remained even after the Civil War, despite the economic hardships it
caused. The year 1869 brought a new pastor, Reverend B. Elliott Habersham, and
a larger population: 46 members. During Habersham’s time, the church gained
many improvements, such as a new painted roof and a new organ. In 1896, a group
of young women organized the Immanuel Junior Auxiliary, a mission group that
raised money for the church. The women in this group played a large role in
funding for the church, especially during the Great Depression, until the
mid-twentieth century.
Area History: Hanover
County was officially formed in 1720, named after King George I of England, who
was elector of Hanover, Germany. The Old Church Area, then mainly farmland and
still very rural, was an unofficial community in the midst of Hanover County.
By the time of the Civil War, it did not consist of much more than several
private homes and a few taverns that were quickly taken over by Union troops.
In 1864, Union and Confederate troops met at Matadequin Creek, near the Old
Church crossroads, and a harsh yet small battle ensued, ending with Union
victory. After the Civil War, the Old Church area, like the rest of the South,
was hit by a rough depression, and spent the next few decades beginning to
recover.
What about the site has changed? Not much outside of the obvious has changed. The
Cherub School Preschool was built in 1988, and the surrounding cemetery has
grown a bit, but other than these things and the necessary upkeep for such an
old building, not much has changed.
What about the surrounding area has changed? The Old Church area has changed a lot,
population-wise. While it is still regarded as ‘the middle of nowhere’ by most
people in Hanover, especially those that live there, the area has grown in
popularity and is generally regarded as a nice place to live, if you don’t care
about fast internet or being close to town. Many neighborhoods in Old Church
have large amounts of land, with some houses placed on multiple acres of
forest, and the area still has a ‘country’ feel to it.
Reflection: I
feel like this project did more building on old knowledge instead of creating
new knowledge, which is great, but not what I was expecting. I already knew
that Hanover County was a site of lots of battles- my local elementary school
is literally called “Battlefield Park”- but I never knew of any in Old Church,
just Pole Green and Cold Harbor, though these areas probably have blurred
borders. It was pretty neat to learn about a place that I’ve known for so long,
and I can’t wait to go back and see it again for the photo.
Author: Abigail Mister
Sources:
Colvin, Steve.
"A Detailed History of Immanuel." Accessed March 13, 2016.
"History."
Hanover County Historical Society. Accessed March 13, 2016.
"Historic
Sites: Old Church." Virginia Tourism Corporation. 2016. Accessed March 15,
2016.
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