East Liberty Presbyterian Church: The Cathedral of Hope

About Us
History

  
  116 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412/441-3800
 
History Timeline
 
1778 Alexander Negley first permanent white settler in East Liberty valley
 
1789 Negley with 41 others founded first church organization in Pittsburgh known as Pitt Township; First American Presbyterian General Assembly in Philadelphia
 
1790 First known religious service in East Liberty
 
1794 Pittsburgh incorporated as a town
 
1809 First building—a school house—erected at current church site
 
1812 Financial crisis delays organization of East Liberty Church
 
1818 Campaign to raise subscriptions for a church building
 
1819 First church building constructed after Negleys deed land to ELC
 
 

ELPC Awarded
First Place in
PC (USA) Multicultural
Church Story Contest

History Brochure (PDF)

Architecture

Pipes of Glory
ELPC Organ
Restoration Project
1828 Church organized and named First Presbyterian Church of East Liberty; first Communion and first Baptism take place
 
1830 First pastor installed—the Rev. William B. McIlvaine
 
1835 Lecture Room added to replace school house built in 1809
 
1847 Additional land donated and second church building erected
 
1848 First service held in the second church
 
1860 Resolution passed for the building of the third church; work delayed by conditions of the Civil War
 
1864 Third church building completed and dedicated
 
1865 Church purchases gas lighting
 
1867 A celebrated Meneely bell contracted to be made and installed (the tower bell)
 
1868 East Liberty incorporated; the name of the church is changed to East Liberty Presbyterian Church (ELPC)
 
1871 Highland Avenue opens as a street; 20 feet of church property lost
 
1886 Church cemetery removed from site
 
1887 The fourth church building constructed; electric lighting added
 
1888 The fourth church building dedicated
 
1930 Mellons made know their desire to build a new (fifth) church
 
1931 Construction of the fifth and present church begins
 
1935 Fifth church building completed and dedicated

Note: The information included in this brochure was researched and compiled by Friend of ELPC Cathy Regush, 2006.

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For more information, call the church office, 412/441-3800 or email info@cathedralofhope.org.

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"...inviting all to join our diverse, inclusive family of faith,
transcending all boundaries of race, class, ability, culture, gender
and sexual identity to become one in Christ."

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Contact the ELPC Webmaster info@cathedralofhope.org.

updated 2007-12-10