Museum, Tours, Archives
Through objects, paintings and documents, you will be transported to the start of the united Methodist denomination. See Captain Webb flourishing his sword to gather the faithful; imagine packing your belongings in a saddlebag and traveling 265,000 miles on horseback like Francis Asbury; read the words of Joseph Pilmore in his personal journal. These adventures and more are waiting for you.
From left to right, Absalom Jones, Harry Hosier, Richard Allen!
Jones left HSG to become an Episcopalian priest and founder of the The Historic African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas - AECST after early HSG members’ poor treatment of African American congregants. Hosier led a class at HSG that eventually became Mother African Zoar UMC. Allen became the founder of the African Methodist denomination, with Mother Bethel AME Church being its first church.
Explore Your Methodist History
Anna M Jarvis (1864-1948) attended St. George’s and taught Sunday School here when she succeeded in having President Woodrow Wilson sign the bill that made Mother’s Day an official observance in 1914.
Visit the museum to learn more.
In our archives, there is a letter from Frederick Douglass written in 1858. Visit our museum to learn about important highlights of our denomination's ongoing efforts to understand and combat the scars of racism.
A quilt with hand stitched signatures of early congregants
Admission
Due to the Covid-10 crisis, tours are unavailable until further notice. We hope to resume them as soon as possible.
Admission is free, however donations are greatly appreciated (and necessary)!
Saturday Group Tours
$5.00 per person
$25.00 minimum
$75.00 maximum
Saturday Group Tours
By Appointment
Call 215.925.7788
Time Traveler Program
Join us for an exploration of Methodist heritage in a unique education program perfect for confirmation classes, young adults, new members, or just-plain-curious folk. Learn more here.
Philadelphia Methodist Walking Tour
http://philawalk.org/
Hours
Summer
Monday - Wednesday
9:30 - 2:30
Thursday and Friday
9:00 - 2:00
Fall and Winter
Monday - Friday
10:00 - 2:00
If you are visiting the archives, please arrive by 12:00PM.
Archives & Resources
St. George's holds the archives for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. Most church records are available online at Ancestry.com, however you may also make an appointment to visit the archives. Make an appointment.
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania's survey of Small Archival Repositories identified 57 separate closed church collections at St. George's, detailed in the finding aid. Click here for Finding Aid.
Fees
Archival visit, $10/day or $35/year
Copy of baptism or wedding record, $25
Email requests for information:
$25 for the first hour
$15 per hour for additional research, up to 4 hours
Click here to Pay Fees
Sacred Harmony
Thanks to the Charles Wesley Society and the General Commission on Archives & History for funding the electronic scanning of Sacred Harmony, John Wesley's own copy of the first Methodist Hymnal.
We have made the book available on the Internet Archive. That copy is searchable by text.
Historical Society
The Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference is among the oldest in the United Methodist Church. Founded in the 1860s, the Society is entirely voluntary and open to all, and works in partnership with the appointed members of the EPA Commission on Archives and History.
Preservation Society
The Historic St. George’s Preservation Society was established in 2013 to preserve, restore, and maintain Historic St. George’s United Methodist Church’s buildings, collections, and grounds and to perpetuate the interpretation of its unique place in American history.