#65749: Olivet United Methodist Church

The white tower of Olivet United Methodist Church is framed between evergreens in the church's historic cemetery. Olivet Church began as a class meeting on March 13, 1773, led by Bishop Francis Asbury, a circuit riding Methodist preacher. Francis Asbury left England in 1771 for missionary service in America. He became a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and one of its most famous evangelists, "the St. Paul of American Methodism". The Galena class first met at the home of a Mr. Dixon. At that time Galena was known as Georgetown Cross Roads. The first deed for the church bears the date of June 27, 1804. The land was donated by Cornelius Scott. The original church was built in 1808. In 1842 that building was moved to one side and used by slaves. Later, the original wooden church was sold to a group of African-American Christians and moved to Olivet Hill in Galena. A new church was built in 1842. In 1887 a bell tower was added by Frank H. Ruth in memory of his parents. The 800 pound bronze bell was cast by the McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore, Maryland.