# Reformed Historical Tour of America



## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 19, 2004)

I have done some research and put together a little travelogue of Reformed historical sites in America.

For those who are interested, read on...

*Reformed Historical Tour of America*

I begin my Reformed historical tour of America in New England. The Pilgrims first settled at Plimouth Colony (http://www.plimouth.org) in 1620. They brought with them the Geneva Bible and the Ainsworth Psalter. William Bradford, among other Pilgrim leaders, is buried in Plymouth. America´s oldest museum, Pilgrim Hall (http://pilgrims.net/pilgrimhall/index.htm) is dedicated to the preservation of the Pilgrim legacy. 

In the decades that followed, Puritans immigrated from England to other parts of Massachusetts, notably Boston. John Winthrop is buried at King´s Chapel in Boston (http://nanosft.com/freedom/kingchap/kcbury.shtml). 

The Dutch, many of whom were actually French Huguenots who escaped their persecuting native land, settled New York. The French Huguenot Church (http://www.stespritnyc.net/welcome.html) in New York City has a long and notable history. The Huguenot Society of America (http://www.huguenotsocietyofamerica.org) is headquartered there. The Huguenot Historical Society (http://www.hhs-newpaltz.net/index.html) is located on Huguenot Street, the oldest street in America, in New Paltz, New York.

Princeton Theological Seminary (http://www.ptsem.edu) in Princeton, New Jersey is the home of a rich legacy of Old School Presbyterianism, famous today for its library and the burial sites of Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Davies, Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, John Witherspoon and Charles Hodge.

The Presbyterian Historical Society (http://www.history.pcusa.org) is located in both Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Montreat, North Carolina. Westminster Theological Seminary (http://www.wts.edu), a seminary with a rich Presbyterian heritage, is also located in Philadelphia. The Reformed Presbyterian Theological School (http://www.rpts.edu), affiliated with the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (aka "œCovenanters"), is located in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania, though founded by Quakers, was and is the home to many Scotch-Irish and Reformed churches and individuals.

Virginia was an Anglican colony, but also home to many Reformed dissenters, including French Huguenots (see http://huguenot-manakin.org/) and Presbyterians. Francis Makemie, the "œfather of Presbyterianism in America," is buried on the Eastern Shore (there is a church that bears his name as well as a memorial park and statue in Accomac and Temperanceville, Virginia). The Old Presbyterian Meeting House (http://www.opmh.org/history.htm) in Alexandria, Virginia has a notable colonial heritage. The prince of Southern Presbyterian theologians, Robert Lewis Dabney, is buried at College Church (http://www.people.hsc.edu/organizations/collegechurch/history/history1.shtml) in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia. Confederate leaders Stonewall Jackson, a Presbyterian deacon, and Robert E. Lee, an Anglican, were both buried in Lexington, Virginia (see http://www.stonewalljackson.org/, http://www.lexingtonvirginia.com/stonewall_cemet.htm, and http://www.lexingtonvirginia.com/lee_chapel_and_museum.htm). 

North Carolina´s Scotch-Irish Presbyterian heritage is well-known. The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (http://www.cmstory.org/meckdec/main.htm), which preceded that authored by Thomas Jefferson by one year, reflects the Calvinist spirit and principles of the Scotch-Irish in Charlotte during that time. 

A major landmark of Charleston, South Carolina is the French Huguenot Church (http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/charleston/fre.htm). Both James Henley Thornwell and John Girardeau were buried in Columbia, South Carolina. The first Protestant colony in North America was a 1562 French Huguenot settlement named Charlesfort (http://www.cla.sc.edu/sciaa/staff/depratterc/chas1.html), located on Parris Island, South Carolina, which is still undergoing archeological excavation.

Florida is home to two national parks devoted to the story of the French Huguenot colony of Fort Caroline (http://www.nps.gov/foca/), located near Jacksonville, and its massacre by the Spanish (see also http://www.nps.gov/foma/). 

The PCA Historical Center (http://www.pcanet.org/history/index.html) is located in St. Louis, Missouri.

The National Huguenot Society (http://www.huguenot.netnation.com/general/) is headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota.

I hope to add further historical sites to my travelogue. America has a rich, Reformed history which can still be explored today not only in books but in person.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 28, 2004)

Since Boston, ye old home of the Puritans, has made history once again, and since Reformation Day and Thanksgiving are just around the corner, it's a good time to trace the paths of our spiritual forefathers.


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## RickyReformed (Nov 9, 2004)

Hi Andrew,

to your knowledge, are there any Reformed historical sites in Texas?

Thank you for taking the time to post your findings. I'd love to go visit some of the sites you mentioned if I ever get a chance to travel! Until then, I'll have to settle for anything local. :bigsmile:


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## Puritan Sailor (Nov 10, 2004)

You may wish to add Grand Rapids, MI to your list. It is home of several Reformed churches and Calvin College and Seminary, once great bastions of reformed theology, though now waining.


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## cupotea (Nov 10, 2004)

Sailor, you took the thoughts right out of my head on that one.

GR is home to three Dutch Reformed denominations, Calvin college and nobody mows their lawn on Sunday to this day.



Presbyterians, God love us, we're forever forgetting our Dutch brethren.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Nov 10, 2004)

> _Originally posted by RickyReformed_
> Hi Andrew,
> 
> to your knowledge, are there any Reformed historical sites in Texas?
> ...



Hi Rick,

You're welcome. I'm not aware of any Reformed historical sites in Texas, but if you find any please let me know. As a former resident of the Lone Star State, however, I can testify (as you probably well know yourself) that there is much rich history in general to explore. 

The Alamo is one of my favorite historical sites. San Antonio is a remarkable place in general, especially the Riverwalk. Robert E. Lee was stationed there before the War Between the States. Galveston has a fascinating history. The worst US natural disaster ever hit there around a century ago. Austin and the surrounding hill country is a beautiful place to visit. I recall that Robert Lewis Dabney spent some years teaching at the University of Texas in Austin so perhaps that counts as Reformed history. The Texas Confederate Museum in Waco is a great place to visit if you like Southern history (there is also the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco and of course Mt. Carmel). Fort Worth, the gateway to the West, is a fun town. Dallas, of course, has the JFK book repository museum and lots of other intriguing places to visit. And don't forget the mountains, natural caves, Gulf Coast beaches, piney woods, deserts...ah, pardon the reminisces -- Texas, it's a great place to visit.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Nov 10, 2004)

> _Originally posted by puritansailor_
> You may wish to add Grand Rapids, MI to your list. It is home of several Reformed churches and Calvin College and Seminary, once great bastions of reformed theology, though now waining.



Thanks for the tip! I'll be glad to add Calvin College. Any other Michigan sites in particular? It's one state I haven't visited but hope to someday.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Nov 10, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Steadfast_
> Sailor, you took the thoughts right out of my head on that one.
> 
> GR is home to three Dutch Reformed denominations, Calvin college and nobody mows their lawn on Sunday to this day.
> ...



I definitely want to honor our Dutch Reformed heritage. They made a huge contribution to America in the early years. I did refer previously to the Dutch who settled New York (New Amsterdam), many of whom were of Huguenot origin. The Pilgrims came from Holland and included those of British, French and Dutch backgrounds. 

I was thinking of including Puritan Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids on my list, but I didn't really feel that it qualified as a historical site. Please let me know if you have other Michigan or Dutch Reformed historical sites to add to my list.

Thanks!


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## Plimoth Thom (Feb 22, 2005)

As a former resident of upstate New York I'd like to add First Church in Albany, the second oldest congregation in NY, it was established as a Dutch Reformed church in 1648, and the current building was built in 1798. It also has the oldest pulpit and the oldest weathervane (a rooster common on early american churches) in America.
http://www.firstchurchinalbany.org/

The church which I used to attend was First Presbyterian (PCA) in Schenectady, NY which was organized in 1760 and its current building was built in 1809. Buried in the churchyard is Jonathan Edwards the Younger who died shortly after becoming president of Union College. 1st Pres. is also the third or fourth oldest church in the PCA.
http://www.1stpreschurch.org/

There are also many more old Dutch Reformed churches in the Mohawk and Hudson Valleys of upstate New York. The area is very rich in American history as well, including the largest concentration of 18th century military sites in America.


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## matthew11v25 (Feb 22, 2005)

I was just in New England and surrounding states.
Starting in Boston it is a nice drive to Enfield Conneticut (a couple hours) where Jonathan Edwards preached "Sinners in the hands of an Angry God" (there is a memorial rock there). Then drive north to North Hampton Massachusetts to see the town in which Edwards pastored. The library in North Hampton also holds one of the largest numbers of Edwards original manuscripts. Open for public viewing select days of the week. 

[Edited on 2-22-2005 by matthew11v25]


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## Scott Bushey (Feb 22, 2005)

Matt,
I grew up in New England; used to hang out in Enfield. Did you make it to Connecticut? While in Boston, did you stop at Quincey Market?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 22, 2005)

Thanks for the tips, gentlemen!


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 23, 2005)

I'm going to add Stratford Hall Plantation in Virginia to my list, birthplace of Robert E. Lee: http://www.stratfordhall.org/


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## VirginiaHuguenot (May 9, 2005)

I'm adding a link now to the new website for the French Huguenot Church in Charleston, South Carolina.







[Edited on 6-12-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Aug 5, 2005)

PCUSA List of Top 10 Presbyterian 'Pilgrim' Destinations


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## Poimen (Aug 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Steadfast_
> Sailor, you took the thoughts right out of my head on that one.
> 
> GR is home to three Dutch Reformed denominations, Calvin college and nobody mows their lawn on Sunday to this day.
> ...



Why?


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Sep 1, 2005)

Adding the Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church near Staunton, Virginia (where R.L. Dabney was pastor for a time) to the list.


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## DTK (Sep 1, 2005)

> Princeton Theological Seminary (http://www.ptsem.edu) in Princeton, New Jersey is the home of a rich legacy of Old School Presbyterianism, famous today for its library and the burial sites of Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Davies, Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, John Witherspoon and Charles Hodge.


Yes, and there is another person well-known in Amercian History who is buried in Princeton's cemetery, whose name is not remembered for theological reasons as the men named above? Can you guess who he is?

A little trivia gives spice to life. 

DTK


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Sep 1, 2005)

> _Originally posted by DTK_
> 
> 
> > Princeton Theological Seminary (http://www.ptsem.edu) in Princeton, New Jersey is the home of a rich legacy of Old School Presbyterianism, famous today for its library and the burial sites of Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Davies, Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield, John Witherspoon and Charles Hodge.
> ...



Hmmm, this cemetery is known as the "Westminster Abbey of the United States" because there are so many famous citizens buried there, including President Grover Cleveland, Aaron Burr, George Gallup and many others.


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## DTK (Sep 1, 2005)

> Hmmm, this cemetery is known as the "Westminster Abbey of the United States" because there are so many famous citizens buried there, including President Grover Cleveland, Aaron Burr, George Gallup and many others.



Yes to all of the above, and there are two Aaron Burr's buried there, Aaron Burr Sr. and Aaron Burr Jr. It was Aaron Burr Jr. who shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in the famous duel between the two men on the banks of the Hudson River at Weehawken, New Jersey.

Aaron Burr Jr. was the grandson of Jonathan Edwards, and orphaned at age two. His father, Aaron Burr Sr. was a Presbyterian minister, and served briefly as the president of Princeton. It was Aaron Burr Sr. (the son-in-law of Jonathan Edwards, having married his daughter Esther) whom Edwards succeeded as president of Princeton. Edwards himself served only for a couple of months at Princeton before dying reportedly of a small pox vaccination. 

Aaron Burr Jr. attended Princeton later in life, and there is a legend about his time there which many believe marks the time of his abandoing the faith of his fathers.

Good answer!
DTK

[Edited on 9-1-2005 by DTK]


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Sep 1, 2005)

> _Originally posted by DTK_
> 
> 
> > Hmmm, this cemetery is known as the "Westminster Abbey of the United States" because there are so many famous citizens buried there, including President Grover Cleveland, Aaron Burr, George Gallup and many others.
> ...



Aaron Burr (both of them, especially Jr.) had a remarkable heritage and life. Jr. stood trial for treason and his daughter disappeared off the coast of North Carolina in a storm. There was certainly much tragedy in his life. 

One of his famous quotes concerned his religious views: 



> "On that subject I am coy." -- answer to Rev. Dr. P. J. Van Pelt, when asked if he expected salvation


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 30, 2005)

The Huguenot Society of Florida has a new website.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Jun 2, 2006)

American Presbyterian/Reformed Historical Sites Registry


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 13, 2006)

Columbia Theological Seminary is coordinating a Presbyterian Heritage Tour of Georgia and South Carolina which will take place March 26-31, 2007. One must register by December 15, 2006. Pricing and other details are found here.


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