The "Upper Church"

Soon after the immigrant families (Alsace and German) settled in Eden, many of them gathered together as a congregation, meeting in private homes.

About 1836-1840 the church to the left was built on land probably owned by Balthasar Zittel (he had already deeded land at this location for a "burial ground") This land is high on the East Eden Road across from what is now Tennessee Gas Pumping Station. The church may look plain on the outside, but pictures show a beautiful inside balcony suspended from three walls. One story says that lumber for the church was hauled from (Lodi)Gowanda by ox cart. This church was called the Upper Church and was the first church built by the immigrants. The Congregation was known as the Society of Evangelical Lutherans and Reformed. It was later known as St. John's United Evangelical Church. Sadly, this building no longer exists.


(Courtesy of the Town of Eden Historian, and excerpts from the history on St. Paul's Lutheran Church.)