Places of Worship

4 Locations | Curated by Butler County Historical

It is no wonder that some of the first edifices constructed by settlers or immigrants are places of worship. Religious congregations have historically bound communities together - both to one another and to something or someone bigger than themselves. Explore the historical places of worship in Butler County and learn the stories of those who built, sought, and lived in these communities.

In 1829, Jewish settlers, predominantly from Germany, began moving to the Butler area, drawn by its growing prosperity. Another wave of Eastern European Jews immigrated to the area in the early 1900s, as the newly-established Pullman Standard plant and ancillary industrial development provided new…
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On March 8, 1803, the founding fathers of Butler County plotted ground designed for a church lot. The county seat designated this space for a future congregation. The First Presbyterian Church, or Covenant United Presbyterian Church as it is known today, was established in 1813. Today the edifice…
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Russian Orthodoxy made its way into the United States through Alaska in the 19th century, moving into San Francisco and over to New York City by 1905. The Russian Revolution left the Church with no leadership from 1917-1923, leading other nationalities to create their own churches instead of…
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In 1791, in the village of Maulbronn in what is today Germany, 34-year old Johann Georg Rapp was on trial. The civil affairs official charged him with subverting the teachings of the Lutheran Church, and threatened him with expulsion if he continued to preach. Defiantly, Rapp testified before the…
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