Bellevue Presbyterian Church, photo by smalltowngirl
The oldest Presbyterian church west of the Mississippi River is in Caledonia, Missouri, one block away from the main street that I wrote about yesterday.
Bellevue Presbyterian Church, photo by smalltowngirl
Founded in 1816, the church isn’t currently open to the public, but it’s in remarkably good condition on the outside.
There is no parking lot, just a big patch of grass. But watch out for the tough little guard dog who lives next door. She’s got a big bark, but his girl loves to have her belly scratched…
Guard Dog, photo by smalltowngirl
I’ve heard rumor that this church is being renovated for use as a visitor center/historic center. I have a meeting in July with the Washington County Tourism Committee, so I’m hoping to gather more information then.
If you live in this area and are looking for a nice afternoon drive, I’d suggest Caledonia. It’s a neat little town.
August 3, 1816, photo by smalltowngirl
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Oh, you got me! Of course, I was thinking “slobbering, snarling WOLF-DOG,” and you show a shepard mix wanting a belly rub. Good one!
Hey, have you ever been to Pere Marquette Park, along the River Road, etc., in Illinois (just across from North St. Louis Co.)?
One of my fav side / day trips. Let’s chat about it at lunch this week.
Love the pix of the old church, BTW. Presbyterian architecture is about as clean and classic as it gets. Luv it.
Hi there! I put a link to this post for our Small Town Snapshot Sunday. Maybe you’d like to join us next week!
Interesting about the church. I was raised in the Presbyternian church. Nice to hear of old buildings, no matter what they were, being utilized.
[...] Not long ago, I wrote about the oldest Presbyterian church west of the Mississippi River, Bellevue Presbyterian Church. Bellevue’s home is a tiny Missouri town called Caledonia, population 158. Down the Aisle, [...]
[...] I’ve blogged twice about Bellevue already, so if you missed those blogs, you can catch them here and [...]