York United Methodist Church

This is a medium-size brick church in the Romanesque revival style. Its basic form is a simple rectangle, with a single tower axially placed on the north facade. There are four windows on each side elevation. A11 window openings are round-arched, and the arches are emphasized by projecting hood molding in brick. The window hood molds are connected by a horizontal corbeled course on the front and sides of the building. The raking cornice of the front and the square top of the tower are emphasized by arcaded corbeling. Both the body of the building and the square tower have corner buttresses. The front of the tower has a large round-arched entrance, a rose-wheel window, and a pair of round-headed louvered lancets.

All of these features are characteristic of the style of which the Old Stone Church in Cleveland is one of the most noted examples. The tapering octagonal spire rises from a concave base resting on the square tower cornice. Each of the four cardinal sides of the spire has a tall slender gabled dormer. A cross surmounts the spire. Over the rose window is a name stone inscribed "Mary's Chapel - M. P. Church." In the late 1960s an educational wing was attached to the west side of the south end of the building. Its low proportion and red brick material make it harmonize with the original building in an inconspicious manner. At the same time the original brick was cleaned and pointed, giving a handsome and attractive appearance.

/ARCHITECT 1877 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE This is an exceptionally fine example of the early nineteenth century LeBowebs Romanesque revival style, in spite of its late actual date. As these are fare less common in northeastern Ohio than Greek or Gothic churches, its primary significance is architectural. The date of the organization of the Methodist Protestant Church at York Center is uncertain, but presumed to be about 1841. A frame building was erected at the southwest corner of the center in 1844. When the congregation outgrew that building, the present one was erected in 1877. The cost was $5,000, of which $3,000 was donated by Mary Ford. Thus the church was named Mary's Chapel to honor her gift. The architect and contractor of the building was Thomas Rogers, a carpenter.

It is said that he "could neither read nor write, but the marks made with his pencil were always correct." The center of York Township later became known as Mallet Creek, the name of the post office. The old church building was used as a private dwelling for many years, and later torn down. In the 1920s, the other church at Mallet Creek, a Congregational Church built in 1852, was abandoned, as one church served the needs of the entire community. That building was also razed. Thus in addition to being an excellent example of architecture, this building symbolizes the entire nineteenth century religious life of the village.