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Bronson Memorial Church
THE BRONSON MEMORIAL CHURCH HISTORY
An Episcopal Church founded and built by Hermon Bronson in 1835, of white clapboard with tower and four spires with hand carved finials.
In 1824, Hermon Bronson and his family settled on a tract of land in Boston Township, later to become the Village of Peninsula. A log cabin homestead was built and the family began holding religious services there. They invited neighbors to help build a permanent congregation or "religious society", accomplished in 1835, and in 1839 "a comfortable house of worship" was built costing about $1,000 being borne by the Bronson Family. It was dedicated by Bishop McIlvaine as the Bethel Episcopal Church. Hermon Bronson's brother, Abraham, was the first minister. Perrin's History of Summit County (1881) states that Bronson "was the first to introduce moral and religious tactics among the vicious and unlawful practices of the canal boatmen."
Over the years, the Bronsons continued to support and sustain the Church. The land on which the Church stands and a lot for a cemetery were later deeded to "the Wardens and vestry of said parish", and at his death in 1853 Hermon Bronson willed "a sufficient fund to afford about $325 a year to defray the expense of a minister."
The church was remodeled in the Gothic Revival style in 1889 by Hermon Bronson's daughter-in-law, Ruth Ranney Bronson and changed its name by court decree to the Bronson Memorial Church. The Estey pump organ was given by her daughter, Lucy Bronson Dudley.
There was an active congregation. Peninsula was 562 persons, a prosperous and growing community on the Ohio Canal. Cut stone for buildings, roads, bridges, grindstones, lumber, canal boats and flour were the products. In the early 20th century, the rise of automobile traffic slowed canal and railroad traffic into Peninsula until both ultimately ceased.
During the first three decades of the twentieth century, the number of Episcopalians in the community dwindled. In 1939, the congregation was two persons. By the end of World War II, the Church membership had increased to eleven. In May of 1945, an altar window painting of the "Good Shepherd" by Harold E. Brady was dedicated by Bishop Little in memory of Charles Billiter, a former Senior Warden killed in action during the War (it now hangs in the back of the Church). On November 25, 1945 a 100th Anniversary Service was held by Bishop B.D. Tucker. Regular services supported by Bob and Jeanette Bishop, his mother Bernice Boise Pool Bishop, the Wykhoffs, and a few others. In 1956, the parish was declared inactive.
In 1960, the Bishop of the Episcopalian Diocese, Reverend Nelson M. Burroughs, offered the church to the Western Reserve Historical Society to move to Hale Farm. Village wardens, Robert P. Bishop, Claudia McVey, and Harold K. Bell objected but acquiesced to preserve the building intact. Neighbors Lily and Frank Fleder decided to champion the cause to restore the church and keep it intact where Bronson built it. Lily contacted Helen Duprey Bullock, of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, for advice. She suggested forming the Peninsula Heritage Association. Lily agreed but needed help. Within the year, Robert L. Hunker architectural and interior designer, moved Hunker Associates, Inc. from Akron to Peninsula, renovating another Bronson house and barn for their offices. It is located at the southwest corner of Rt. 303 and Riverview Rd. and identified by the stone watering trough on the corner. Lily sought his help and received it. At a dinner party held in Helen's honor at Hunker's home with guests from Peninsula and Hudson who were fighting to save the first bank building in the Western Reserve, they founded both the Peninsula Heritage Association with Robert Hunker as President and the Hudson Historical Association with J. Harris as president. A new era of preservation was launched!
Bishop Burroughs agreed that the church would stay if $20,000 was raised for the restoration and an established institution held the title. The Summit County Historical Society agreed to this role. The Peninsula Heritage Association raised the funds. In 1965, Robert Hunker planned and executed the restoration with Vice President Henry Saalfield and Lily Fleder. Restoration was completed, including a new foundation, roof, and belfry repair with central heat and electricity by August 1969 in time for a wedding, with the bride and groom helping with the painting. A re-opening service was held on November 9, 1969. Since that time, the church has become a popular place for weddings, funerals, educational study, and historic meetings.
Robert Bishop and Robert Hunker served as stewards, operating the church with the income from events and weddings. They wished to secure the church's future and had the Summit County Historical Society relieve them from their responsibilities. In 1983, The Summit County Historical Society assumed full responsibility for the church. Under Director Smith, the exterior of the Bronson Memorial Church painted in Victorian colors from an 1860's paint catalog. They also removed the 1889 enclosed entrance vestibule built to give shelter to the parishioners and keep cold from the sanctuary. Unfortunately, all of this was done without research and was historically incorrect. The 2004 colors are the original determined from scrapings and x-rays.
Unfortunately, the Society came on hard times losing government support and lacked qualified administration so the church again deteriorated and was mismanaged. Once again, Robert Hunker stepped in, put on new roof and a new furnace. In September 2003, the Society decided that the church's future would be perpetually secure as part of the Peninsula Valley Historic & Education Foundation and directed President Donald Fair and Director Paula Moran to deed it to the Foundation. The Foundation has future plans to reconstruct the vestibule and the seats which were on either side using Philadelphia v-groove exterior siding and iron square nails as the original.
This building reflects the ever-changing styles from the early 19th century Greek revival of the Connecticut Western Reserve to the Victorian style of the later part of the century. The original interior was white plaster walls over a dado of wide horizontal boards painted gold, as were the pews (see example in anteroom). The floors and window casings were local black walnut. A musician's balcony was over the entry. The remodeling in 1889 to the Carpenter Gothic style was achieved by the addition of points (permanently shuttered) over the windows with the original muntins of the small paned windows replaced with pointed panes. The front floor was raised. Walnut columns and an anteroom were added. The walls and ceiling were covered with pine "Philadelphia siding". The dado and pews were painted and glazed in red to match the new Brussels carpeting. The reproduction carpet was manufactured by the Arthur H. Lee, Co. in England on their antique ingrain loom.
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