Description
Old Swedes Church, in Wilmington, Delaware, is the oldest church in the United States standing as originally built and still in use as a house of worship. It was erected in 1698-1699 by descendents of the Swedish colonists who crossed the Atlantic aboard the Kalmar Nyckel in 1638. Today, visitors can see the church’s vibrant history through some of the remarkable artifacts found there. Early parishioners donated the planks and logs for the black-walnut pulpit; the altar candles were presented to the church by Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1988 as a gift from the Great Copper Mountain Mining Co; Tiffany created the Bayard memorial stained-glass window; and the warden’s church chest dates from 1713. Reflecting over three hundred years of American history, Old Swedes Church has a unique story to share.
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