Posted in North Carolina
June 02, 2016
There’s No Chapel In The World Like This One In North Carolina
North Carolina has plenty of history, with early settlers dating back to the 17th century. Luckily, much of that history is beautifully maintained and can be experienced firsthand today. Coincidentally enough, North Carolina’s oldest church is also located in its oldest town, Bath.
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Built in 1734, St. Thomas Episcopal Church has been an active parish for 300 years.
The historic church is located on Craven Street and has served as a place of worship for centuries of locals and visitors that have experienced Bath.
The town of Bath was established in 1696 with the original church parishioners meeting in local homes. Around 1700, Rev. Thomas Bray (founder Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts in England) mailed books to St. Thomas Parish. A substantial development for the town, this founded the first public library in the colony.
The church served as a central place of worship for all those in the town. The beautiful building is the oldest surviving church in North Carolina, with 300 years and counting of Sunday service. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
The interior is simple yet calming. Sunday service still takes place, and visitors are also welcome for a walk through.
St. Thomas is immersed in dense greenery, with a small graveyard at the front of the church. The historic graves date back to some of the earliest members.
With so much history and beauty, you'll want to add this to your list of places to visit in North Carolina. It's great for a solo trip, but you'll also want to throw in other historic sites of the area.
Located in a town rich with North Carolina history (hello, Blackbeard) there’s no way you won’t be mesmerized by this 300-year old place of peace, worship and faith.
Have you visited St. Thomas before? If so, what were your thoughts?
