McConnelsville's Historic Buildings

There are several buildings in McConnelsville that were built at the time, or soon thereafter, when the town's founder, General Robert McConnel laid out the town site.

Gen. McConnel's own home is located in the lower part of town close to the canal on the corner of 9th and Mcconnel avenue It is a large two story stone edifice which is still standing and is used now as a private residence owned by William Gable D.D.S.

Underground Railroad Buildings

An interesting aspect of the home is that there is a tunnel leading from the edge of the canal to the cellar of the house. This tunnel was used in pre-civil war days as as a refuge for slaves fleeing from the slave states in the South. These way-stations or underground railways, as they were known back, then were scattered all over the border states until after the Civil War.

There are other locations in Morgan County that were stopovers for the escaping slaves traveling North. One that I have visited is a small brick house located just below the Pennsville school in Penn Township in a little valley. As far as I know, it is not occupied at this time.

My visit to this home was prior to 1938, and I remember being in the kitchen and seeing the hole in the floor where the visitors were lowered to escape the watchful eye if the law. My grandparents Wagoner had moved there after they sold the Globe Hotel in Pennsville.

Anyone who knows of other locations are invited to add them to this site.
(As soon as they are available, we will have pictures of some of these locations.)

First Presbyterian Church

The fall of 2007 marks the 175th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church building. The original Sanctuary was built in 1832 on a lot donated by General Robert McConnel, member and town founder.

The congregation, organized in 1824, had previously met in the old Courthouse building. But with the expenditure $2,361, a large amount of money at that time, the Sanctuary was built and had the largest seating capacity of any building in the town for several years thereafter.

Erected on a small bluff, the brick structure was stuccoed in 1932 because the bricks were quite soft and the stucco has helped to preserve the building these many years.

In 1916, the vestibule and present-day Gaylord Hall were added for Sunday School rooms, study and kitchen area. The balcony on the second floor, with a chandelier hanging from the center, was enclosed on three sides by classrooms.

In the early 1930's, a very important addition to the church was installed: a beautiful Wurlitzer organ, obtained when the Weller Theater in Zanesville, was torn down. This instrument replaced the old pump organ. With the new "old" organ and the building's natural acoustics it has proved that a house of worship can be beautiful as well as practical.

Over the years there have been several renovations such as
enclosing the balcony in Gaylord Hall for the addition of more classrooms upstairs and the installation of up-to-date heating and air conditioning, as well as a speaker system. Having seen many years of hard use, the outside steps to the hall also were replaced.

The church had a bell at one time, but it was sold to the owners of the steamer H.D. Munson. The bell in place today was a donation from the old Bristol church building.

Any visit to McConnelsville should include a stop at the Presbyterian Church.








1. New vestibule in 1916
2. Photo taken circa 1905
3. After 1916 addition
4. Earliest photo of church
5. March 1974
6. Before 1882 remodeling















7. Late photo of parsonage
8. Church after 1916 addition
9. Church after 1916 addition
10. Interior after 1932 remodeling
11. The Manse 1958
12. Photo taken about 1905
13. Interior view about 1916