History
Hanover Presbyterian Church was organized in 1825 and is one of the oldest churches in Beaver County. Our first church edifice was a large windowless log cabin built just above the intersection of State Routes 18 and 30. In 1836, the Trustees purchased two lots, one for a cemetery and one for the church, for a total cost of $16 from John Harsha. Then in 1844, the log cabin was replaced with a framed structure built on what is now the lower left side of our current parking lot. By 1888, congregational membership was 160 and annual income was $1,400.
In 1894, approximately 50 years after the original frame structure was built, Alex McCoy and Alec McDonnell designed and built “the white church on the hill”, as it was commonly known until March of 1956. This structure, which was constructed from local oak trees, served the Harshaville community well until March 18, 1956 when an early morning fire razed it to the ground. That afternoon, 175 members convened and decided to rebuild. Arrangements were soon made for joint Sunday services to be held with Mt. Olivet, Hebron, Mill Creek and Frankfort Springs Presbyterian churches while our new building was being erected. On August 18, 1957, at a cost of about $73,200, the original portion of our current church was dedicated to the service of the Lord with about 500 people attending. The mortgage was burned on October 2, 1966.
Many families living in the area today were responsible for the efforts that went into rebuilding Hanover Presbyterian Church. Soon after reconstruction, we incorporated and additional land was purchased from William Kerr. By 1968, membership had grown to 180 and yearly contributions were $11,150.
The church manse was built in 1970 and it was rented to families in the area in the early years. A significant addition to the church was made in 1986 that provided a larger kitchen, the fellowship hall and many different classrooms and storage areas.
In the spirit and practice of Christianity and in the memory of all those loving members who have served the Lord before us, we thank you for a visiting our website and encourage you to attend our church and visit with us and our pastor.
For those interested in researching ancestors buried in Hanover Cemetery, Internment.net has a useful page.