Dennison Railway Chapel

From its founding in 1865, Dennison was a railroad town and became the second largest rail center for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Rail presence was so strong that the industry dictated social and economic development throughout the community. For example, the Railway Chapel, the historic name for the First Presbyterian Church of Dennison was built because W.W. Card, Pennsylvania Railroad Superintendent, saw a spiritual need in the community. As the first church built in Dennison, Card contacted the Presbytery of Steubenville to start the church, arranged for donation of land, provided for financing from railway officials, and arranged for labor and material from the railroad. Railroad workers constructed the furnishing for the church with walnut pews built by the Dennison Car Shops. The pews have reversible backs, designed after ones in passenger cars. The church was dedicated in April 1871 and listed on the National Register of Historical Places in 2009.

[Side B]: The Presbyterian Manse, the dwelling for the Railway Chapel’s minister and family, was built at a cost of $5,000 in 1872, a year after the Chapel was completed. The ornate three-story, French Second Empire style brick home was situated on the east side of the Railway Chapel. Unique features include window hoods and sills carved from sandstone, with the entrance incorporating a transom and sidelights. The cornice contains ornate scrolled brackets between frieze panels. The mansard roof is enhanced with prominent segmental-arched dormers. Many delicate features inside the home befit the architectural significance of the house. The house, along with the Railway Chapel, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.