EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH of the HOLY TRINITY

The top two pictures are of the church with its majestic spire. The bottom is the parish house on the ground originally occupied by the cemetery. I will try to add a picture of the wall later.

The following information is contained in the church brochure. "The church was formally organized in 1730 and is the oldest church in Lancaster, PA and one of the oldest in PA> Initially, the congregation worshipped in a small stone church for thrity years. Construction of the present brick building was begun in 1761 and dedicated in 1766 with Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in America, officiating. The church is located at 31 South Duke St. From my own experience, it is easy to get on the wrong section of Duke St. The easiest way, I think is to get on North Duke and travel Southward and the church sits on the left. The initial organ was designed by David Tannenberg and installed in 1774. It has been enlarged and altered through the years and is a beautiful instrument. In 1785, work began on the magnificent tower and steeple. It is a masterpiece that reaches to a height of 195 feet. Among the features of the tower are the statues of the four evangelists - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John standing at the four corners. The original statues were removed in 1948 and place in the entranceway of the church for preservation and replaced with replicas. A chime of eight bells was acquired in 1853. The beautiful stained glass windows were installed in the first half of the 20th century. The cemetery originally occupied a small area South of the church but all remains were exhumed and a new building (Fisher Parish House) for Sunday School, etc. was built. On the East side of the church, a memorial wall and garden were constructed and the remains from the old graveyard are located there. Thirty-six of the stone, inscribed in German with decorative carvings, were affixed to the wall. If you ever visit Lancaster, you will want to be sure to visit this beautiful facility. Guided tours are available all year after Sunday morning services which end about 9:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. also, on Saturdays May-September between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. Special group tours may be arranged in advance. Our ancestor Frederick Deeg (Dague) was married and worshipped in this church along with his family. His first wife Sophia Shmitt died at a young age, leaving him with small children to raise and he married Anna Maria Geysler on August 29, 1760. At least four of their children as well as Sophia's were baptised and worshipped in this church. Sophia is reportedly buried there, but I did not find a stone, but it is possible that she had no stone, or that it gave way to time.

If you wish to visit the church web page Click Here

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Last updated 22:15 PM 10/09/2006