THE HISTORIC CHURCES OF DOVER

By George Laurie/Museum Curator

Dover Area Historical Society

In the decades following the American Revolution, Dover, like most of Morris County
and the rest of the country, was wild and lewd. The war had a demoralizing effect upon
officers and men. The restraints of religion had become irksome, infidelity had made rapid
progress and intemperance had greatly increased.
(MunsellsHistory of Morris County 1882)
Although Dover had yet no churches of its own, towns folks could travel by horse and
wagon or walk to nearby Rockaway, to the Quaker meetinghouse or Millbrook.

Most families in Dover were beyond the reach of the local church thus the need for
circuit-riders. This paved the way for the Presbyterians and the Methodists to organize in
Dover.






The typical circuit rider was a young, single man who himself had already moved
several time from village or town to the next. Before turning to preaching, many circuit riders
had been blacksmiths, carpenters, shoemakers, hatters, tanners, millers, shopkeepers, school
teachers, sailors and so on. They traveled light, carrying their belongings and books in their
saddlebags.

At the time, Dover was a pretty wild town, miners, farmers, early pioneers settled in this
frontier town and weekends were pretty wild. So trying to preach in Dover was not an easy
task

One early circuit rider who attempted to preach in Dover was Rev. Thomas Smith and
his colleague, the Rev. Owens. On one occasion, Rev. Smith attempted to hold a meeting in
an old house where he preached a sermon to a few elderly ladies. An attack was made on the
life of Rev. Owens, where he was mobbed on the road just on the outskirts of town.
In December 1799 a gentleman of Dover invited Mr. Smith back to preach. Mr. Smith
once more entered this little village and was told there could be no preaching and any attempt
would cause a riot and the house would probably be torn down.
About 17-years later, Rev. Barnabas King of Rockaway was allowed to preach in Dover
and held the first Sunday School service in 1816.

THE PRESBYTERIANS

When Mr. And Mrs. J. L. Allen moved to Dover in 1832 they saw the need to establish a
church and pastor. Those in favor of the plan were prepared to give generously toward the
cause and those who opposed included the Newark Presbytery. Feeling the village was too
small to support a church, the Presbytery did not want to weaken the Rockaway church.

Some of those expecting to join a new church in Dover were active members of the
Rockaway congregation. Finally, on April 23, 1835, the Rev. John Ford of Parsippany and the
Rev. Peter Kanouse, acting under the authority of the Presbytery of Newark, formed the First
Presbyterian Church of Dover. With a membership of seven men and thirteen women, the
meetings were held at the Stone Academy. Thus the first church organization of any
denomination was established in Dover in 1835.

THE METHODISTS

The first church built by any denomination in Dover was erected on the corner of
Sussex and McFarlan Streets. The first Methodist Society in Dover was an offspring of the
Millbrook Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1838, the Rev. James Rogers was appointed to
Dover with the mission of building a church. On July 14, 1838, at a meeting of Dover
inhabitants held at the old school house (little red school house)

THE LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE







(This is a picture of THE LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE once located at the foot of Morris
Street. It has also been referred to as the Academy and is often confused with the Stone
Academy, which stood directly across the street. The little Red Schoolhouse was built
sometime in the late 1700s as a public schoolhouse.)

This circa 1840 sketch of Dover, commissioned by t he railroad authority (before
photography) shows an active young village.








In the lower right hand corner is the completed, square-box shaped first Methodist church
building facing south. In the rear of this picture you can see the Presbyterian Church steeple
still under construction. This would date this picture around 1842. Notice how active the
village is by the number of smoke stacks. Dover was a real bustling boom town in the early
1840s. This visual of Dover convinced the railroad
run a line to Dover in 1848.

THE GRACE METHODIST CHURCH OF DOVER








INTERIOR OF CHURCH IN 1925
This is the Grace Methodist Church building at the corner of Sussex and McFarlan
Streets constructed in 1890.

ORIGINAL CHURCH BUILDING AGAIN

The follow two photographs shows the original Methodist Church constructed in 1838
converted into a duplex apartment house. This building was relocated to this location on
North Sussex Street in 1890 prior to the construction of the current church.
Here is the Grace Methodist Church building again








. The corner stone to this church building was laid on August 22, 1838. The house is
located next to Browns Storage. It was very common to relocate buildings back then rather
than demolish them.

This is the only church building and perhaps the only building in Dover with two corner
stones. One dating 1838 and the other dating 1890. This new building was dedicated in
January 1891.

The first minister of this church was Rev. James O. Rogers. This church experienced a
split in 1876 and established a new church on the corner of Essex and Blackwell Streets..

THE PRESBYTERIANS

Meanwhile, the Presbyterians were busy on the other side of town holding their
meetings in the Stone Academy and did so for seven years. This new church organization
began its useful career in Dover, not by building the first church house, but instead by
installing the first full-time pastor. In August of 1835, the church appointed the Rev. James
Wyckoff as its first pastor .With the construction of the Methodist Church, the Presbyterians
may have felt pressured to construct their own church building and in 1842 did so on the
southwest corner of Blackwell and Prospect Streets.
The Stone Academy







(Here are some views of The Stone Academy used as Dover first church building by the
Presbyterians. This is one of Dovers most significant historic landmarks, The Stone
Academy is located on the National Registry of Historic Places.

The building was constructed in 1829 by Henry McFarlan to be used as a schoolhouse, public
building and a church meeting house.

The Stone Academy still stands today and is considered Dovers oldest building.
Last used as a school in 1876. It was always used as a private school, never a public school.
It may also have the distinction of being New Jerseys first parochial school. )

FIRST CHURCH BUILDING OF THE PRESBYTERIANS

This is a photograph of the first building of the Dover Presbyterians church constructed in
1842. In this photograph you notice the steeple has been removed.












SECOND BUILDING OF THE PRESBYTERIANS

The second Presbyterian Church building was constructed on the southwest corner of
Blackwell and Prospect Streets.








Elder J. L. Allen left $10,000 toward the erection of this building and $5,000 for a
parsonage, located just up the hill on Prospect Street. The second building was constructed
and dedicated in 1872.

THIRD BUILDING OF THE PRESBYTERIANS



The Hoagland Memorial Presbyterian Church was built by Mahlon Hoagland Jr. as a
memorial to his wife, Martha D. Bigelow. The land was purchased from William H. Baker,
former owner of the Baker Theater and was located on the once popular McFarland Park.

The Hoaglands were carpenters by trade and were responsible for many of the fine
structures in Dover and Rockaway that included six rolling mills and the rolling mill in Dover.

At one time in Dovers history, all three Presbyterian churches proudly stood together
occupying the western end of Blackwell Street in the downtown district as seen in this lower
right-hand picture.










The skyline of the church looking across Mill Pond. Today the pond is covered by a
parking lot and is the site of the Mill Pond Towers building.

FREE METHODISTS

The second oldest standing church in Dover is the Free Methodist church building located
on N. Sussex Street. The Free Methodist Church was founded when some former Methodists
in Perry, New York, withdrew from their church because they opposed slavery. The society of
the Free Methodist Church was organized in Dover in 1871. Their stone building at 53 North
Sussex Street was erected in 1872.

THREE VIEWS OF CHURCH OF FREE METHODIST CHURCH



The crude stone building was constructed on a lot donated by Manning Searing and
was dedication December 8, 1872 at a cost of $5000. The Free Methodists advocated
inexpensive buildings. It was here that church goers no longer had to rent their pews. The
pictures show the original church and the rear of the building. The next photo shows
renovations to the building to be converted into an apartment and retail business on North
Sussex Street.

THE METHODISTS (AGAIN)

Meanwhile, a division in the Methodist church in 1876 resulted in the formation of a new
Methodist Society called the Second Methodist Episcopal Church of Dover. The Rev. C. S.
Coit was pastor when the church purchased a lot on the corner of Essex and Blackwell Street
and a new stone chapel was constructed in 1876.










The original stone church at the corner of Essex and Blackwell StreetsAnother view of the
church as it looked before major additions were made.

THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

In 1906 under the leadership of Rev. A. B. Richardson, the official church board
determined to utilize the large vacant space in front of the chapel to construct a new, larger
auditorium. The church members and people in town responded generously and the corner
stone was laid on April 13, 1907.

Excitement is in the air as the church begins and new chapter in its growth.







The completed church in 1907, still looks pretty much the same today, except for the
new additions to the side of the church on Blackwell Street.










ST JOHNS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

On November 8, 1849, the first regular Episcopal services began in the upper chamber
of the Stone Academy. The Rev. Charles Ranking of St Peters Church in Morristown
conducted the regular services. On March 24, 1850, Charles and Henry McFarlan organized
the first Sunday School called the St Johns Seminary. The congregation was organized as a
parish in 1852. In 1866, Henry McFarlan and his wife Ann, deeded property at the edge of town
which was designated as a future site for a church building.













Ground was broken for a church building on October 18, 1866 but work was suspended.
The church building was finally completed on May 27, 1871.
It was known as the first permanent church building in Dover. The building alone
costs $13,612 and the total cost was $15,637 and was largely financed by Henry McFarlan,
George Richards and Mr. Eyland each contributing equal amounts. Pews were rented in the
new church until 1897.

A pipe organ was ordered in 1873 at a cost of $965.50. The church was first wired for
electricity in 1894 and redone again in 1927. A church bell was order from Troy, New York in
1903 costing $325 and weighed 500 pounds. It was first rung on Easter Sunday in 1903.
During the great Flu epidemic of 1918, the church played a major role in helping the
town overcome its illnesses.

In 1956, the 70-year old Victorian Rectory of the church was razed to provide for off-
street parking of church members. A new rectory was purchased at 61 Baker Avenue.

SWEDISH TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH

Between 1872 and 1874, religious services in the Swedish language were held in the
Presbyterian Church for those Swedish immigrants who came to Dover, many of them being
employed by the railroad.

By 1886, the meetings were held in the old schoolhouse on Mt. Hope Ave. and a small
organ was purchased for $15. Early in 1888, services were moved to a hall at the corner of
Blackwell and Mercers Streets. On March 9, 1889 the church was incorporated as the Swedish
Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church of Dover. A small lot was purchased at the corner of
Mercer and Blackwell Streets and work soon began on a new church building on October 9,
1894 and was completed and dedicated on April 30, 1895.











The Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church of Dover enjoys the distinction of being the first
Swedish congregation to be organized in the State of NewJersey since colonial times

In 1912, a parsonage was added and remained until 1972 when it was destroyed by fire. A
new parsonage was not constructed, instead a new Parish Life Center which remains in use
today.

The final construction and remodeling to Trinity was made in 1984 with the need of more
space and easier access. The church remains The Little Yellow Church on the
Corner









In the 1970s the church served as a nursing home, Market Street Mission, Dover Welfare
Department and the church continues its outreach programs through the Food Cupboard, the
Faith Kitchen, the Mental Health Drop-In Center and Social Club and sponsors the Meals on
Wheels program and the Parish Nurse Program.

SWEDISH METHODIST CHURCH







In 1873, a large colony of Swedes and Danes migrated to Dover and erected a chapel at
44 Grant Street at a cost of $2900. This became the first Swedish Methodist Church. The
church building still stands today as a private home.

This is the first chapel located at on Grant Streetwas dedicated on December 7, 1873.










The congregation moved to their new church building here at 21 Hudson Street. The
Swedish Methodist church ceased to exist in 1922 as its members scattered to other
Methodist churches in town. This building was later occupied by the Christian and Missionary
Alliance Church which occupied the building for many years and later moved to Randolph
Twp..

THE SWEDISH BAPTIST CHURCH
The Little Church Around the Corner










SWEDISH BETHEHEM CHURCH








BAPTIST CHURCH OF DOVER








CHRYSTAL STREET UNION CHAPEL

On November 16, 1879, Jane (Mrs. Alexander) Searing, who resided at the top of Crystal
Street, gathered children together in her parlor for Sunday School. Mr. C. J. Broadwell was
Superintendent, and Mr. Oliver Freeman of the First Presbyterian Church of Dover was his
assistant. To meet a growing need, Mrs. Searing donated a lot, and the people erected a
small, one-room 14x14-foot building. The school grew and the Presbyterians bought from
Wellington C. Casterline, the site of the present chapel further up the street at the corner of
Morris and Chrystal Streets, and in 1892, built the Chrystal Street Mission Chapel to meet the
needs of the citizens living in the hills of south Dover. .








On January 22, 1908, the Presbyterians sold the property to the people of the
neighborhood and it became the Chrystal Street Union Sunday school. Union prayer
meetings and a Union Sunday school were held here. The people belonged to various
churches in Dover, but united in these neighborhood meetings. They invited leaders and
singers from many places to conduct meetings. Today it is called the Chapel In The Hills and
is still active to this day. One interesting footnote. The Presbyterian Church still has a lean
on this church building and if it ever becomes anything but a church, ownership reverts back
to the mother church on W. Blackwell Street.


SACRAD HEART CHURCH









In 1905, the congregation of the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, an off-shoot of St. Marys
Church in Wharton, purchased a vacant lot on Bergen Street next to the Seven Sister row
houses. The cornerstone to this new church was laid on September 24, 1905 and was
completed by Christmas. However, the dedication was held off until June 3, 1906. The church
seated 275 and cost $14,000.00 to build.

SACRED HEART PARISH SCHOOL

In 1924 a parish school was built and staffed by the Caldwell Dominican Sisters from its
opening until their withdrawal in 1977. The sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth staffed the
school for a number of years. It was staffed by the Sisters of Most Sorrowful Mother and
several lay teachers. The 250 students range from Pre-K, full day kindergarten and grades 1-8.
The school closed in 2010.

On April 9, 1954, ground was broken for a new Sacred Heart Church at 4 Richard
Avenue. The cornerstone was laid December 11, 1955, and the first Mass was held in the new
Church, March 12, 1956. It is of yellow brick Romanesque design by Daniel Source, of East
Orange. The contractor was NicholesD'Elia, of Jersey City. It seats 800 and cost $300,000. In
1988,the interior was altered to provide for a "thrust" stage projecting into the congregation to
accommodate the communion table, and re-locating the baptistery to the center of the
congregation. A small organ was installed at the front of the church.









FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENCE

The First Church of Christ Science constructed this church in 1929 at 360 W. Blackwell
Street. Chartered on May 14, 1907, the church held its first services in the Palmer Building
and later the Livingston buildings in downtown Dover.
In 1916, it was recognized as a church with a reading room at the same location.

The dedication was held in 1945.







In 1966 the reading room was moved to 11 N. Bergen St. in the same store that Henry
Platte once used as a photo studio. The store front was renovated and used as a reading
room for the next 14 years.

The Reading Room then moved to its current location in 1980 at 36 N. Sussex St. in the
Harry L. Schwarz building across from Town Hall.









In November 1999, the church was closed and the building was sold. The church
relocated to the Christian Science Church at 114 Woodport Road in Sparta.
Today the Reading Room remains active in Dover, open to the public 3 days a week between
11 am to 3 pm. The public is always invited to stop in a say hello

CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE








On March 17, 1925, the Church of the Nazarene was organized in Dover under the Dover
Inter-denominational Holiness Association. On June 22 they began their regular services in
the rooms over the Dover Advance office on East Blackwell Street. Ground was broken for a
new church building on Hudson Street in 1929 and the new church was dedicated on January
11, 1930. The church later moved to Denville and became the First Lakeland Church of the
Nazarene. The church is now called New Hope.

ABATH SHALOM SYNAGOGNE









Abath Israel of Dover, an Orthodox Hebrew Congregation, was organized October 18,
1917, with 32 charter members. They held services, in Hebrew, Friday and Saturday mornings
and evenings, in a hall over the Pierson's Clothing Store at 6 West Blackwell Street.

The Dover Jewish Center was constructed in 1934. In August of 1978, the building was
sold and moved to a newer building at 18 Thompson Avenue.

The building located on Thompson Avenue
Today, the congregation moved to Randolph Township.

FOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCH OF DOVER


YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION




The Young Mens Christian Association was formed in 1868. Its members were drawn from
various churches in the area. Since the mines drew many foreign immigrants to the Dover
area, the YMCA opened an evening school to teach them to speak and read English. For many
years, the organization was housed in a beautiful building facing the Commons at 76 Bergen
Street. In 1981, it moved to its current location at 14 Dover-Chester Road in Randolph.
Original YMCA building on Bergen Street. The YMCA today located in Randolph
Township.








SALVATION ARMY

Today this is the home of the Salvation Army an organization established in 1865 by
William Booth know as the Christian Mission until 1878 when it officially became The
Salvation Army. Dovers mission started in 1900 and held several locations around town,
before moving here.

Here the Salvation Army was housed on the second floor of the Woodhull
Grocery Store at 14 South Morris Street.







Here the Salvation Army band plays in the middle of the street. The Sunday
School at the time was between 150 to 175 members. This building was later demolished.

Many old-timers remember the Salvation Army located in the old Guenther Turn-Hall on
Route46, today the site of the Meineke Shop. Today the Salvation Army also runs a major
outlet store of used clothing and furniture located in the old Acme Supermarket store on
Bassett Highway. The Salvation Army is an international movement preaching the gospel of
God and meeting human needs.








WORD OF LIFE CHURCH







In 1989 Pastor Sal Bellini started the Word of Life Christian Ministries as a simple Bible
study group at a VFW Hall in Whippany. Not long thereafter, a group of young rock musicians
and some friends gave their lives to the Lord. These young people became part of the Word
of Life music ministry. Sunday services were moved to the Bellinins home in Randolph twp.
The church moved briefly to the Madison Hotel in Madison until the Methodist church in
Boonton became available. However, it wasnt long again until the congregation had to move
again, this time to an old car dealership building on Blackwell Street. It was at this location
that townspeople began to gain interest in the church. Finding a large commercial building
becoming available the church moved again to 67 Bassett Highway. The owner was good to
the church and offered renovations and build offices, a childrens facility and a sanctuary.
This was finally the place to call home.

PASTOR BELLINI

On June 8, 2003, Pastor Sal Bellini passed away after a long illness. His funeral was
attended by over 200 people and was a testimony to the great impact Pastor Sal had on Dover
and the surrounding area. Today the church continues its great mission work in Morris
County and Dover.






INGLISH LATINO AMERICANA SIGN

(70 HUDSON ST)
Rembember this church at 70 Hudson Street?
UNITED LATIN AMERICAN PENTECOSTAL CHURCH
"United Latin American Pentecostal Church (Iglesia Pentecostal UnidaLatinoamericana)"
Today, this church site is the home of the United Latin American Pentecostal Church of
Dover. Around 1995 native Columbians living in the Dover area realized the need for their
home church from Columbia, which happens to be the second largest church organization in
that country and a group of four individuals got together and held services in the basement of
a Randolph home. One year later the group rented the basement of the Bergen Building on
Bergen street and grew to about 30 members.







Realizing the need for a larger church building, efforts began to find a new location. In
2001, the congregation was able to secure this site and with a membership of 60 was able to
move in. Today, the church has over 120 members with Rev. Nestor Rivera as their pastor.
The church offers several community outreach programs reaching out to families in need.
The United Latin American Pentecostal Church soon hopes to open a Day Care center on it
large, fenced in property on Hudson Street.. Truly another success story for a Dover church
being blessed by the will of God.

HOLY ROSARY CHURCH


GOOD SHEPERD LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Good Sheperd Lutheran Church was organized in 1914 and held services in the
basement of the Swedish Trinity Lutheran Church on Blackwell Street. The Good Sheperd
Lutheran church was founded to serve the Germans who had migrated to Dover to work at the
Guenther Hosiery Mills and Picatinny Arsenal. The first pastor was Rev. Baier who also
founded the King of King Lutheran Church in Mt. Lakes and the Lutheran Church in Morris
Plains. While living in Dover, Pastor Baier would take the train to Boonton a conduct services,
would return to Dover for afternoon services and get a ride to Morris Plains to hold services
there.








In the 1950s as the church grew and purchased a lot on Myrtle Ave. and constructed a
church. By the 1960s when parking became an issue, the church purchased property in the
Mt. Fern section of Randolph Township and moved there in the 1970s.
Today the Church is located at 319 Quaker Church Road. The Rev. John D. Reynolds is
pastor.

NEW LIFE FAMILY

The New Life Family Church is a new kind of church designed to meet your needs in
todays world. The beautiful, newly renovated facility located at 158 W. Clinton Street (The old
Picture Frame factory on Rt. 15) is where one can enjoy upbeat music and hear positive,
practical Bible messages which will strengthen and encourage one to face the challenges of
life. Children can be trusted to the care of dedicated, trained workers who minister Gods
word through puppet shows, videos and games. And the kids will love the cool game room.
The church also serves a Sunday brunch for the whole family. The New Life Family Church
prides itself as offering a positive experience at attending church on Sunday.

CHURCH OF LATTER DAY SAINTS

The Dover Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is located at 103 Bassett
Highway. It was in the Spring of 1820, when 14-year old Joseph Smith went into a grove of
trees near his home in Palmyra, New York and prayed to learn which church he should join. In
his prayers, he learned that the church originally organized by Jesus Christ was no longer on
the earth. Joseph Smith was chosen by God to restore the Church of Jesus Christ to the
earth. The church was finally organized in Fayette, New York on April 6, 1830. Today it has
grown to an organization with members and congregations throughout the world.

MT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH



Pastor Andre L McGuire was called to the Mt Zion Baptist Church in Dover in
September, 1999. Since coming to Dover, Pastor McGuire has worked tirelessly building a
Sunday School program, Bible study group, and prayer services which he considers as
important as the Sunday morning worship service.

While at Mt Zion, the membership of the church has slowly but surely showed a steady
increase with new ministries being born. Mt Zions ministries now include The Angels of Zion
a Dance Ministry, Devotion Team, Food Ministry, Mens and Womens Bible Study groups and
a Media Ministry which includes a popular Web site.


THERE ARE OTHER CHURCHES IN THE DOVER AREA THAT HAVE HAD J UST AS MUCH OF
AN HISTORIC IMPACT ON DOVER AS DID THE DOVER CHURCHES. WELL BRIEFLY COVER
A FEW OF THOSE CHURCHES.

ST MARYS CHURCH



ST MARYS PARISH

St Marys, the first Catholic parish in northwest Morris County, was founded in 1845,
primarily for the Irish immigrants who were drawn to employment in the mines around the
Dover area. A simple, single-story church, was built in 1846 diagonally across the street from
the present day church. In 1872, the corner stone was laid for the new church, which still
stands to this day. In 1899, the present rectory was built.

The Bishop of Newark, JamesRooseveltBayley, blessed the cornerstone of the new
church. The building stone came from mines near the church, which parishioners helped cart
to the site. The style of St Marys resembles churches put up in Ireland from 1840 to the
1860s.

QUAKER FRIENDS MEETINGHOUSE

The Quaker meeting house was built on Lamsons Farm along the Quaker-Church Road
in 1748. A large colony of Quakers settled here as part of the William Penns Return of 1715
which included all land in Dover, south of the Rockaway River. Most Quakers at the time were
farmers, providing fresh produce to Dover citizens. Dovers first butcher, who supplied fresh
meat to residents, was a Quaker, Mr. Brotherton.



This landmark along the Quaker-Church Road is on the National Register of Historic
Places is also recorded in the Library of Congress in the Historic American Buildings Survey
for architectural interest. It is in the same structural condition as when first build in 1758. Still
in use today by the Society of Friends (Quakers) it is the most important historic place in the
entire area west of Morristown. Seven generations of the Brotherton family have kept the
meetinghouse preserved, and many are buried in the cemetery behind the Quaker Church.

MT FERN CHURCH



Even though this church is not located in Dover, it retains much of Dovers early
history. Organized in 1883, the first service at Mt Fern was held on November 11, 1883. The
Rev. Robert D. Jenkins of Dover was the first pastor of the church. He and his wife, Elizabeth
Cox Jenkins moved from England and settled in Dover in 1869. The Mt Fern Methodists were
a splinter group from the Millbrook Methodist Church because of a dispute over burial rights
in the Millbrook Cemetery. Apparently a miner by the name of Mr. Feebie was accidently killed
in a mining accident. Noting that Mr. Freebie was an Englishman, the congregation at
Millbrook refused his burial in that cemetery. Apparently, anti-British feelings were still very
strong at that time in history. John Spargo was fed up with the whole issue and decided that
Millbrook was too far to walk to every Sunday, so he organized the Mt Fern Church. Author
Charles Platt writes in his Dover History book of a great 4 of July celebration in 1914 where
hundreds of people marched from downtown Dover up to Mt Fern for a massive celebration
and raised over $300 to support the church.

MT HOPE MINERS CHURCH



The Mount Hope Miners Church was erected in 1868 through the efforts of the Mt Hope
Mining Company for the convenience of its employees. The church was never officially any
one single denomination, however Methodists made up a large majority of the miners. In the
1870s, the church basement was used as a public school. The church building was closed in
the 1980s and sits vacant to this day. There are efforts underway for the historic restoration
of the church building.

MILLBROOK METHODIST CHURCH



The Millbrook United Methodist Church has its roots going back to 1799 when
Methodists in the area would meet in a large, two-story frame house, later in a barn and an old
schoolhouse. On April 25, 1832, Horace Cooper executed a deed that gave the churchs board
of trustees land for the construction of a new church. The timber for the frame of the church
was donated by those living in Millbrook. The building was 30 feet by 38 feet in size and was
warmed in the winter by a large square iron stove. The church was completed and dedicated
on July 1, 1833.

ROCKAWAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH



The Rockaway Presbyterian Church is considered Dovers Mother Church. The church
was organized in March of 1758 and construction of the church began in 1759. The church
was to serve the needs of those living in Denville, Rockaway Valley, Mt Hope, Dover, Berkshire
Valley, Denmark and Franklin and the other sparsely populated areas. The original building
was never completed and many felt the distractions and sickness of the Revolutionary War
had something to do with it. In 1831 a new building was constructed and completed in 1832.
By this time, there were enough people in Dover to begin their own church congregation
.