Historic and Current Eastern University and Palmer Theological Seminary Locations

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On March 19, 1925, six Baptist ministers came together with a dream to open "a new theological school, devoted to the wholesome, vigorous, and effective training of students for the Gospel ministry." Their answer became Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological Seminary) which originally stood from 1808-1818 S. Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA. From 1925 to 1932, the seminary bought the properties surrounding 1812 – the first building purchased on July 20, 1925 – with 1814 purchased in 1926, 1810 in 1928, 1808 and 1816 in 1930, and finally 1818 in 1931, giving the campus a total of 126 square feet.

2. Overbrook/Wynnewood Location for EBTS

Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary was located at 6 E. Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA for seventy-five years, from 1939-2014. The 120,000-square foot, four story red brick complex occupied 8.5 acres and was located on the "Golden Mile" of Lower Merion township at the corner of City and Lancaster Ave. Originally built in 1919, the site previously hosted Green Hill Farms Hotel, designed by Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer as "a Great Gatsby-esque retreat for the area's upper class." EBTS purchased the entire property for $550,000, including the hotel, garage, curtains, furniture, silver, and china, due to increased need for space to combat the seminary's rapid growth. The main structure of the hotel became Palmer Hall, named for Gordon Palmer, the seminary's third president and serving president at the time of the purchase. After seventy-five years at the property, the Seminary sold the property in 2014 and moved temporarily to King of Prussia. The once hotel returned to a life of housing by becoming The Palmer Apartments, keeping the name it had held for so long in honor of its history.

3. Esperanza College of Eastern University

Located on 4261 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA, the Esperanza College of Eastern University will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next year. In 2000, a faith-based junior college was founded as a collaboration between Nueva Esperanza Inc. and Eastern University. Originally named, Nueva Esperanza Center for Higher Education (NECHE), it was the first college dedicated to serving the Latino population in the United States. Classes met at the Esperanza Inc. facilities located at N. 5th Street. The school serves mainly "nontraditional students," some of which had not been in school for many years. The majority of the students speak Spanish at home; therefore, different tracks are offered to support transition from Spanish to English fluency for those students needing it.

4. West Virginia Campus for Palmer Theological Seminary

The Parchment Valley Conference Center is owned and operated by the West Virginia Baptist Convention and has been home to Palmer Theological Seminary’s (Palmer) West Virginia program since 1993. It is a 1400-acre campus, located in Ridley, WV, approximately 40 miles north of Charleston, WV. The property consists of the former Hyres Farm, the Santrock Education center, and Hill Hall. Palmer’s West Virginia program offers Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry degree programs, as well as a non-degree certificate program, similar to Eastern’s School of Christian Ministry’s diploma programs.

This Tour is a Driving or Biking Tour.

Historic and Current Eastern University and Palmer Theological Seminary Locations

Created by Chelsea Post on October 10th 2024, 1:39:59 pm.

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In celebration of the 100th anniversary of our founding institution, Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological Seminary), Warner Memorial Library Archives proudly presents the driving tour of the historic and current locations outside the main campus at St. Davids, Wayne, PA. Please see our walking tour for more information on the main campus: https://theclio.com/tour/2739

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Historic and Current Eastern University and Palmer Theological Seminary Locations

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