Holy Trinity Church, also known as Old Swedes, is a historic church at East 7th and Church Street in Wilmington, Delaware. It was consecrated on Trinity Sunday, June 4, 1699, by a predominantly Swedish congregation formerly of the colony of New Sweden.[3] The church, designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961, is among the few surviving public buildings that reflect the Swedish colonial effort. The church is considered part of First State National Historical Park. The church, which is often visited by tourists, remains open for tours and religious activities.
The church was built in 1698–99 in territory that had been the colony of New Sweden until 1655. The building materials were local blue granite and Swedish bricks that had been used as ship's ballast. The church is situated on the site of the Fort Christina's burial ground, which dates to 1638. The church claims to be "the nation's oldest church building still used for worship as originally built". There are reportedly over 15,000 burials in the churchyard. Lutheran church services were held in the Swedish language well into the 18th century.[4]
John Hansson Steelman provided significant donations which enabled the construction of the church, including £320 for the purchase of land for the church at Fort Christina and for the building of the church, £220 by loans and £100 by gift he received in return the promise that he and his wife would be buried within the church, which was not done, as they moved to Pennsylvania in the 1730s.[5]
In 1697, the Church of Sweden renewed its commitment to Swedish settlers in the Delaware Valley and sent three missionaries, Jonas Auren, Eric Bjork, and Andreas Rudman, to the area.[6] A total of three churches with similar architecture were built or established by Swedish communities in the area about the same time. All are generally known as "Old Swedes" and later joined the Episcopal Church. Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church in Philadelphia was founded in 1697 and the building was completed in 1700. Trinity Church in Swedesboro, New Jersey was founded in 1703, with its current building completed in 1784.
Holy Trinity in Wilmington has housed an Episcopal parish since 1791 and is now part of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware. An earlier church in New Sweden was built in Swanwyck, near New Castle about 1662, which was replaced by a combined church and fort at Crane Hook in 1667.[7] In 1958, the historic Hendrickson House was moved to the grounds of the church. The church building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961.[2][8] Trinity Parish operates two church buildings in Wilmington, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the main building on North Adams,[9] and Old Swedes at East 7th and Church Streets.
Interior of Old Swedes Church. From the Historic American Buildings Survey, Edward M. Rosenfeld, Photographer, April 20, 1934
Iron letters on the east wall of the church dating from 1698, spelling in Latin "LUX-L.I. TENEBR ORIENS- EX ALTO" which translates to "Light from on high shines in the darkness"
^ ab. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
^"Holy Trinity (Old Swedes') Church". from the original on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
^"Old Swedes Episcopal Church, Wilmington, DE". from the original on 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
^. Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
^ abWinquist, Alan; Jessica Rousselow-Winquist (2009). Touring Swedish America, Second Edition: Where to Go and What to See. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 10. ISBN9780873517041.
^"Sacred Reminiscences in the Old Swedes' Church (by The Rev. John W. McCullough, Rector of Trinity Church (Wilmington, Del.: Printed by Porter & Naff, 1842". from the original on 2010-03-02. Retrieved 2009-10-02.
^Richard Greenwood (July 22, 1975) National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church, National Park Service and https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/66000261_photosAccompanying 6 photos, exterior and interior, from 1967 and undated
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Swedes, Wilmington.
Old Swedes Foundation website
Trinity Parish website
Swedish Colonial Society
History of Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church 1697-1773
Historic Churches of American by Nellie Urner Wallington, 1907.
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. DE-9-2, "Holy Trinity Church, Seventh & Church Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, DE", 8 photos, 8 measured drawings, 6 data pages, supplemental material
March 31, 2023
holy, trinity, church, swedes, holy, trinity, church, also, known, swedes, historic, church, east, church, street, wilmington, delaware, consecrated, trinity, sunday, june, 1699, predominantly, swedish, congregation, formerly, colony, sweden, church, designate. Holy Trinity Church also known as Old Swedes is a historic church at East 7th and Church Street in Wilmington Delaware It was consecrated on Trinity Sunday June 4 1699 by a predominantly Swedish congregation formerly of the colony of New Sweden 3 The church designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961 is among the few surviving public buildings that reflect the Swedish colonial effort The church is considered part of First State National Historical Park The church which is often visited by tourists remains open for tours and religious activities Holy Trinity Old Swedes ChurchU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic LandmarkHoly Trinity Church Old Swedes in June 2013Show map of DelawareShow map of the United StatesLocationE 7th St and Church St Wilmington DelawareCoordinates39 44 18 7 N 75 32 26 0 W 39 738528 N 75 540556 W 39 738528 75 540556 Coordinates 39 44 18 7 N 75 32 26 0 W 39 738528 N 75 540556 W 39 738528 75 540556Built1698 1698 NRHP reference No 66000261Significant datesAdded to NRHPOctober 15 1966 1 Designated NHLNovember 5 1961 2 The church appears on the obverse of the 1937 Delaware Tercentenary half dollar Contents 1 History 2 Burials in churchyard 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditThe church was built in 1698 99 in territory that had been the colony of New Sweden until 1655 The building materials were local blue granite and Swedish bricks that had been used as ship s ballast The church is situated on the site of the Fort Christina s burial ground which dates to 1638 The church claims to be the nation s oldest church building still used for worship as originally built There are reportedly over 15 000 burials in the churchyard Lutheran church services were held in the Swedish language well into the 18th century 4 John Hansson Steelman provided significant donations which enabled the construction of the church including 320 for the purchase of land for the church at Fort Christina and for the building of the church 220 by loans and 100 by gift he received in return the promise that he and his wife would be buried within the church which was not done as they moved to Pennsylvania in the 1730s 5 In 1697 the Church of Sweden renewed its commitment to Swedish settlers in the Delaware Valley and sent three missionaries Jonas Auren Eric Bjork and Andreas Rudman to the area 6 A total of three churches with similar architecture were built or established by Swedish communities in the area about the same time All are generally known as Old Swedes and later joined the Episcopal Church Gloria Dei Old Swedes Church in Philadelphia was founded in 1697 and the building was completed in 1700 Trinity Church in Swedesboro New Jersey was founded in 1703 with its current building completed in 1784 HABS architectural drawing of the church Five other Swedish churches were founded in the 18th century St Mary Anne s Episcopal Church in North East Maryland Old St Gabriel s Episcopal Church in Douglassville Pennsylvania St George s Episcopal in Churchtown New Jersey St James Kingsessing in Philadelphia and Christ Church Old Swedes in Upper Merion Township Pennsylvania 6 Holy Trinity in Wilmington has housed an Episcopal parish since 1791 and is now part of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware An earlier church in New Sweden was built in Swanwyck near New Castle about 1662 which was replaced by a combined church and fort at Crane Hook in 1667 7 In 1958 the historic Hendrickson House was moved to the grounds of the church The church building was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961 2 8 Trinity Parish operates two church buildings in Wilmington both listed on the National Register of Historic Places the main building on North Adams 9 and Old Swedes at East 7th and Church Streets Burials in churchyard EditNotable burials include Alexis Irenee du Pont Bayard 1918 1985 lieutenant governor of Delaware Elizabeth Bradford du Pont Bayard 1880 1975 James A Bayard 1799 1880 U S Senator Richard Bayard 1796 1868 first mayor of Wilmington U S Senator Thomas F Bayard Sr 1828 1898 secretary of state under President Cleveland Thomas F Bayard Jr 1868 1942 U S Senator Dr Joseph Capelle a Revolutionary War veteran Catharina and Britta Cock d 1726 Major Peter Jaquett a Revolutionary War veteran The Right Reverend Alfred Lee first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware Ignatius Grubb 1841 1927 justice of the Delaware State Supreme Court George R McLane 1819 1855 American physician and politician Captain Hugh Montgomery captain of the brig Nancy raised the first American flag in a foreign port Elizabeth Montgomery daughter of Captain Hugh Montgomery Hans Jurgen Smidt 1696 1753 and Mary Stalcop 1696 1750 ancestors of Devil Anse Hatfield of the Hatfield McCoy feud Carl Christopher Springer first warden William Vandever d 1718 grave marked with the oldest legible stone Samuel White 1770 1809 U S Senator James Harrison Wilson 1837 1925 Union general in the Civil War Swede s Church by John Sartain 1845 Interior of Old Swedes Church From the Historic American Buildings Survey Edward M Rosenfeld Photographer April 20 1934 Iron letters on the east wall of the church dating from 1698 spelling in Latin LUX L I TENEBR ORIENS EX ALTO which translates to Light from on high shines in the darkness Old Swedes Church depicted on the 1937 Delaware Tercentenary half dollarSee also EditNational Register of Historic Places listings in Wilmington Delaware List of National Historic Landmarks in Delaware New Sweden List of the oldest buildings in Delaware List of cemeteries in Delaware Oldest churches in the United States Gloria Dei Old Swedes Church in Philadelphia PennsylvaniaReferences Edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service January 23 2007 a b Holy Trinity Old Swedes Church National Historic Landmark summary listing National Park Service Archived from the original on 2007 12 06 Retrieved 2007 10 02 Holy Trinity Old Swedes Church Archived from the original on 2012 10 18 Retrieved 2008 04 06 Old Swedes Episcopal Church Wilmington DE Archived from the original on 2007 10 13 Retrieved 2007 11 05 Peter Stebbins Craig The John Hans Steelman House At Elkton MD Falling To Ruins Swedish Colonial News Volume 1 Number 10 Fall 1994 Archived from the original on 2009 01 29 Retrieved 2021 11 22 a b Winquist Alan Jessica Rousselow Winquist 2009 Touring Swedish America Second Edition Where to Go and What to See Minnesota Historical Society p 10 ISBN 9780873517041 Sacred Reminiscences in the Old Swedes Church by The Rev John W McCullough Rector of Trinity Church Wilmington Del Printed by Porter amp Naff 1842 Archived from the original on 2010 03 02 Retrieved 2009 10 02 Richard Greenwood July 22 1975 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Holy Trinity Old Swedes Church National Park Service and https npgallery nps gov NRHP GetAsset NHLS 66000261 photos Accompanying 6 photos exterior and interior from 1967 and undated The Episcopal Church in Delaware Trinity Parish DelawareExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Swedes Wilmington Old Swedes Foundation website Trinity Parish website Swedish Colonial Society History of Holy Trinity Old Swedes Church 1697 1773 Historic Churches of American by Nellie Urner Wallington 1907 Historic American Buildings Survey HABS No DE 9 2 Holy Trinity Church Seventh amp Church Street Wilmington New Castle County DE 8 photos 8 measured drawings 6 data pages supplemental material Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Holy Trinity Church Old Swedes amp oldid 1147463893, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
