Lancaster’s First Reformed Church was the first church to complete a meetinghouse in the new town of Lancaster. German-speaking immigrants built the 1736 log church on the same lot where the present church stands today.
Lancaster’s Lutherans began constructing their own church building two years earlier, in 1734. But the Reformed carpenters completed this log church first, in 1736. It was two more years before the Lutherans completed their meetinghouse in 1738, with a steeple added later.
James Hamilton granted the Reformed congregation this lot as a gift in 1741. This site has been used by the church ever since that time.

The logs used for the log church were probably hickory logs. Lancaster was known as “Hickory Town” because of the abundant hickory forests in this area. The church carpenters probably squared the logs and may have covered them with weatherboards.
Some of the earliest Pennsylvania log buildings were constructed of hickory. Historians credit Swedish immigrants with introducing log construction to the American colonies. Log buildings of the 1600s in New Sweden were described during that time as having hickory logs, including Fort Vasa in Kingsessing (Philadelphia) and a house at Swede’s Mill (Tinicum Island.)

Above: Rev. Michael Schlatter rides toward the Lancaster log meetinghouse in a stained-glass window in today’s church. Rev. Schlatter arrived in Philadelphia from Switzerland in 1746 to organize Reformed congregations in the Mid-Atlantic region. Lancaster was a top priority. He made more than 12 visits to Lancaster to conduct services.
The log church held approximately 100 people. Men and women sat separately. Church officers sat on a front bench,

Above: This log church is the oldest church building in Bedford County. Two pioneering congregations constructed this meetinghouse near Schellburg: the German Reformed settlers and the Lutherans. They shared this building until they built new churches by 1852.
Before the installation of a stove in 1808, legend has it that church members brought their dogs to church on cold winter days to warm their feet.
The interior’s focus is centered on a wineglass pulpit. A rear staircase leads to a balcony along three sides.

The architectural history of Harrisburg’s Salem UCC Church resembles in numerous ways the history of Lancaster’s First Reformed Church. Both congregations met in log churches that were the first-completed church buildings of their communities. Lancaster completed its meetinghouse in 1736. Harrisburg was later in 1787.
Harrisburg used its log church as a union meetinghouse for German Reformed and Lutheran congregations. The Lutherans soon constructed their own building. The Reformed group continued using the log structure. The building’s logs were covered with weatherboards by 1804.
Later, Lancaster and Harrisburg congregations both purchased church bells from the same London company: Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
Today the Lancaster and the Harrisburg churches both have PHMC historical markers that identify their log meetinghouses as the first church buildings in their towns.