Chestnut Ridge and Schellsburg Union Church and Cemetery, Historic church and cemetery in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.
Chestnut Ridge and Schellsburg Union Church is a wooden structure built in 1806 that shares its grounds with a historic cemetery containing graves from its founding year. The building sits in Napier Township along U.S. Route 30 in rural Pennsylvania.
The building was erected in 1806 to serve both Reformed and Lutheran congregations worshipping together. The two communities eventually separated, with the Reformed congregation using the building alone from 1843 to 1853.
The cemetery serves as a gathering place where visitors can trace family histories through gravestones spanning generations. The grounds reflect the heritage of the Reformed and Lutheran communities that have worshipped here.
The site is freely accessible but sits in a remote rural area with limited nearby services. Visitors should plan their trip in advance since the location is not easily reached from major towns.
The building underwent significant alterations in different eras, gaining weatherboarding in 1881 that was removed again in 1935. These changes reflect how later generations tried to maintain the original structure.
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