Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site
About this property
Gloria Dei Church, known locally as Old Swedes', is a historic church located in the Southwark neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 929 South Water Street, bounded by Christian Street on the north, South Christopher Columbus Boulevard (formerly Delaware Avenue) on the east, and Washington Avenue on the south. The church reported 162 members in 2017 and 181 members in 2023; no membership statistics were reported in 2024 parochial reports. Plate and pledge income reported for the congregation in 2024 was $64,342. Average Sunday attendance (ASA) in 2024 was 38 persons. The church was built between 1698 and 1700, making it the oldest church in Pennsylvania and second oldest Swedish church in the United States after Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes) in Wilmington, Delaware. The carpenters for the building were John Smart and John Buett and bricks were supplied by Richard Cantril. The church displays the English vernacular style of church design, which combines elements of the Medieval and Gothic styles. The church's vestry and entranceway were added in 1703 to buttress the walls, which had begun to buckle under the weight of the roof. The tower was added c.1733, and interior alterations were made in 1845, designed by Samuel Sloan. The congregation was established on Tinicum Island in 1646. It moved to its present site in 1677, five years before the founding of the city of Philadelphia, and the graveyard around the church to about the same time. Formerly a Swedish Lutheran congregation, the church has been Episcopalian since 1845.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site listed on the National Register?
Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.
What type of historic resource is Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site?
Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site?
The period of significance for Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church National Historic Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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