Wesley United Methodist Church

The Methodist community in Morgantown dates back to at least 1772, when informal societies were organized by some of the area’s first pioneers. By 1784, the entirety of what is now West Virginia was designated as the “Redstone Circuit,” and was serviced by John Cooper and Samuel Breeze. Cooper and Breeze were circuit riders, or a type of clergy that travels continuously in rural areas to provide church services. In the earliest days of settlement in the Morgantown area, Methodist communities might have gone months between services before a circuit rider could make it to town. The importance of these visits is evidenced by a crowd of six hundred who gathered to hear a sermon from Bishop Asbury in 1786. This crowd came from all over the northern part of the state, as Morgantown had a population of only seven hundred a century after Asbury’s sermon.

In 1819, the first permanent Methodist church in Morgantown was constructed at the intersection of Pleasant and Chestnut streets. Though the church was still serviced by circuit riders, population boom meant Monongalia County was now its own circuit. Irregular service in Morgantown ceased to be in concern in 1833, when the church was designated as a full station and assigned a permanent minister, Reverend Thomas Drummond. Unfortunately, an 1849 fire destroyed the original building. A new building replaced it in the same location. As part of reconstruction, Caleb Dorsey donated a large church bell, which was an icon of the place of worship.

By the turn of the twentieth century, the Methodist community had outgrown their structure on Pleasant Street. The Sunday school rooms were too small to accommodate demand and the sanctuary was equally overcrowded. Additionally, the church was located in a noisy industrial area. Finally, church leaders recognized the importance of involving the West Virginia University (WVU) community, which was difficult to accomplish with outdated facilities and the location relatively far from campus. The search for a new site ended when I.C. White donated a lot on North High Street, which was supplemented by the purchase of an adjacent lot. The site was perfect as it was spacious, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, and between WVU and High Street.

Groundbreaking and cornerstone laying ceremonies were conducted in 1903 to great acclaim. W.P. Willey’s speech at the cornerstone ceremony commanded an enormous crowd. He said, “I am a Methodist. Most of you are Methodist. But it is by no means a Methodist occasion. This church belongs to Morgantown, to the community, and stands for all that is best and noblest among our people. It is an emblem to the stranger of our civilization, our morality, and religion. It is a symbol of what the people of Morgantown are, of how, and for what purposes they love.”[1] In 1904, the bell from the old church was transferred to the new one, though church administration continued to solicit the donation of a new set of bells. George C. Sturgiss answered this call and donated a chime of bells weighing 7,500 pounds, and a pipe organ. The pipe organ utilized a windchest, or pressurized chamber which allowed for immense sound capacity. The new church was completed in late 1904.

Two names have been suggested as the designer for the new church: J.C. Fulton and F.R. Comstock. Though the architect is unclear, the builder is not disputed. S.A. Westenhaver of Martinsburg was awarded a $61,975 contract to construct the church — actual construction costs totalled over $103,000. The Wesley United Methodist Church, which acquired its name as part of the move, is a Gothic Revival structure. This is evident in the slightly pointed arches, pyramidal roofs, and large corner tower which interrupts the symmetry of the facade. The light coloring of the locally quarried sandstone helps to offset the imposing features of the building. The sanctuary originally seated seven hundred and featured an enormous glass skylight. The skylight could be revealed and hidden with the help of an electric cover. The entire structure remains the largest place of worship in Morgantown.

Several major modifications took place in the mid-twentieth century. Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Davis donated $250,000 for the construction of a youth center addition designed to attract WVU students. This annex was completed in 1949. In 1950, the church also completely remodeled the sanctuary. Walter and Robert Martens of Charleston, West Virginia designed the alterations, which were executed by New York’s Rambusch Studios. The skylight, pipe organ, and several stained glass windows were removed. In return, the ceiling was gilded, the pipe organ room was converted into a gallery, and new stained glass windows were installed. The remodel cost over $500,000. A variety of more minor restoration and alteration projects have also updated and expanded the church. The last major physical change to the building occurred in 2015, when Morgantown’s Mills Group added a handicap accessible entrance to link the sanctuary and youth center. The congregation that is now Wesley United Methodist Church is approaching 250 years of activity in Morgantown. 

[1] Ambler, Charles H. Waitman T. Willey: Orator, Churchman, Humanitarian; Together With a History of Wesley Methodist Church, Morgantown, West Virginia. Huntington, WV. Standard Printing & Publishing Company, 1954.

Archives and History, West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Accessed April 15th 2021. https://www.wvumc.org/who-we-are/archives-and-history/.

Callahan, James. Semi-Centennial History of West Virginia. Charleston, WV. Semi-Centennial Commission of West Virginia, 1913.

Chambers, S Allen. Wesley United Methodist Church (First Methodist Episcopal Church), SAH Archipedia. January 1st 2012. Accessed April 15th 2021. https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/WV-01-ML4.

"First Ground Broken." Daily New Dominion (Morgantown) April 14th 1903. , 1-1.

Historical Timeline of Wesley United Methodist Church, Wesley United Methodist Church. May 11th 2017. Accessed April 15th 2021. https://wesleymorgantown.org/2017/05/11/historical-time-line-of-wesley-united-methodist-church/.

"Old Bell Removed." Daily New Dominion (Morgantown) July 22nd 1904. , 1-1.

Toth, Gary J. Wesley United Methodist Church, West Virginia Historic Properties Inventory Form. February 1st 1982. Accessed April 15th 2021. https://mapwv.gov/shpo/docs/PDFs/ArchitecturalSites/MG-1340.pdf.

Wesley United Methodist Church, Mills Group. Accessed April 15th 2021. https://millsgrouponline.com/projects/wesley-united-methodist-church.