Stroudsburg Little Bethel Historical Association

Participate in the Restoration Efforts!

The Little Bethel Church needs your help! We are currently looking for volunteers and donations to help us restore this historic landmark. Become a member to help and be a part of history:

Board of Directors

Ann Parham,
President

Wayne Bolt,
Vice President

Tameko Patterson,
Corresponding Secretary

Jeff Austin,
Treasurer

Jeffrey Wright,
Recording Secretary

Gloria Finch

Clavertis Miller

Wieslaw Niemoczynski

Wayne Thomas

Lucille Piggott-Prawl

Tracine Baker

Nichele Brown

History of the Little Bethel Church

Legal documents recorded and maintained in the Monroe County courthouse at Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania provide structural trail for the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, best known as the Little Bethel AME Church beginning in 1855. The original lot was situated on Analomink Ave. (currently 3rd street) in Stroudsburg between land owned by Adam Kirk, a mulatto and that owned by John Hohanschield. It is thought to have been situated on the east side of the street or across from the current structure.

Little Bethel was to have its beginning in trust for the colored people of Stroudsburg to use as an (A.M.E.) meeting place and school. The Trustees, Sydenham Walton and John Stokes, both Quakers and Richard Staples, a Methodist, purchased the lot from Adam Kirk and Elisabeth Kirk, his wife, for the sum of $30.00.

The A.M.E. structure that stands today was built in 1868 on land purchased by Richard Staples and his wife, Mary Staples, for the sum of $125.00. The parcel was bounded by Analomink Ave. (currently 3rd St.), land owned by Stephen Henry, Public Road (currently N. 5th St.) and land owned by James Ray. It was deeded to Samuel Huff, Ira Huff and John Quago, all mulattos and Trustees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church of Stroudsburg.

The Trustees’ petition to the Monroe county Court for incorporation in 1867 was approved. These individuals were initially accountable for insuring the successful implementation of the corporation’s regulations. Little Bethel functioned proudly under these initial trustees. Having had its initiation as a denomination in 1791 by Richard Allen and others of the Free African Society ideology in Philadelphia.

Preservation

The Little Bethel A.M.E. Church is currently listed as “Eligible” for inclusion as a Historic Site on the National Register. It was added to this list on March 19, 1982. The register number for the Church is 086646. The Stroudsburg Little Bethel Historical Association is currently working towards the replacement of the roof and stabilization of the church’s foundation and walls. To achieve this goal we are seeking donations from the public to help finance the repairs. Approximately $150,000 is needed to pay for engineering fees, architectural fees and the needed repairs. Updates to this phase of the restoration project, and future phases will be provided in this area of the website.