Wright Memorial Presbyterian
Church
Barnegat , Ocean
County
founded 1876, built c.1870
The Wright Memorial Presbyterian Church of Barnegat was organized as a Presbyterian
congregation in 1876. They purchased an existing building—the Union Hall,
a music hall/opera house erected sometime after the Civil War, for their
church. The building was called Union Hall because Barnegat was then the
Township of Union.
A
new music hall was built on the next block; it became a silent movie theater
and is no longer there. A correspondent name Ed (no last name given) supplied
the above information, and added these notes:
When one goes to the room behind the pulpit, there are still two large
doors. The doors are the whole width of the entire building. They used to
open revealing the stage used by the singers. The doors are no longer used,
but still readily seen.
Shortly after purchasing the building, a family of the church made a donation
so that the steeple could be erected, making it look more like a church
building.
The Church is named after Rev. Wright, an early pastor of the church whose
first congregation was in Dodge City. He was protected in that town from
the gunslingers by Bat Masterson. We have a congenial letter from Masterson
to Rev.Wright.
Normally I do not include any building that was not originally erected as
a church, but I'm making an exception here because of the interesting history.