The former Third Presbyterian Church at 420 E. Ninth St., today home of the Chester Historical Preservation Committee, has cleared the most intensive step on the path to a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, writes Colin Ainsworth for the Daily Times.
The Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Board gave approval to an application and has forwarded it to the Keeper of the National Register for final approval.
Isaac Pursell, a prominent master church architect, designed the church in the popular Gothic Revival style of the time. Construction took place between 1895-1896 on the main structure, with a rear addition added in 1922. Many of Pursell’s other churches appear on the National Registry, but none from Pennsylvania.
The church is an outstanding example of sophisticated late Gothic Revival design in Chester in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The church closed in 1986 and became the home of Chester Eastide Ministries. It was slated for demolition in 2014, but the Chester Historical Preservation Committee was able to purchase the building from the Presbytery of Philadelphia for $1 in 2015.
The committee wants to restore the sanctuary as a potential performing arts space.
Read more about this historic church here.
