Deep Roots #14725

The Story

Have you ever seen a walnut tree this tall? With a towering crown and many large branches, it is very old and beautiful like the country church beside it. The place is a very quiet rural area surrounded by farms and fields for miles down narrow two-lane roads. Wonderfully that day, the new snow added to the hush and beauty of the tranquility.

This is not the first church on this site, the first was built of logs, the second was stone. This beautiful example of religious architecture from the early 1900s has red mortared local limestone below and brick above, along with some wonderful stained glass windows.

The Presbyterian congregation here was established in 1790 putting it at well over 200 years in the same location. The surrounding churchyard cemetery contains the graves of Pennsylvania Revolutionary War soldiers, local farming men who served. This place is a direct throwback to deep pioneer history in the story of our country and Pennsylvania. It goes back to the days when it was the frontier of a young nation and Native Americans were still living in the area.

It’s interesting to think the first church at this place was built of logs, probably from giant trees such as this one. In the same way, this large well-built country church reflects the deep conviction and belief of the rural people who have gathered here for over two centuries. With its deep roots, this old walnut tree could also represent that as well.

Location: rural Blair County near Arch Spring, Pennsylvania.