CHURCHES

While the people of Keyport were busy in the early years with the day to day tasks of running their lives in this rapidly growing community they did not neglect their spiritual needs.

The first church, Calvary Methodist Episcopal, was organized in 1832, meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Nimrod Bedle on Main Street. Later meetings were held in the school house on Church Street until 1841 when a church was completed. This proved too small for the growing congregation and the present structure was started in 1856.

Following the establishment of the Methodist Church was the First Baptist Church which came into existence in 1840 and which erected its present home in 1864.

1847 saw the first meeting of the Reformed Church of Keyport which laid the cornerstone for its present building in 1848.

St. John's Methodist Church was dedicated as such in 1871. It had, however, existed for many years prior to that as the Old Bethany Church Society, organized in 1800.

St. Mary's Episcopal Church was organized in 1862. It met in the old Baptist Church building until 1877, at which time the building was destroyed by fire. The present building has been in use since 1876.

Photo Caption: Calvary M.E. Church, Key Port, N.J.