CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — A historic Cumberland County church currently owned by the state could soon change hands.
Peace Church has sat at the corner of St. Johns Church and Trindle Roads in Hampden Township since 1798.
“When you look around, it’s like stepping back 225 years," said Kevin Shaw who is a member of the West Shore Historical Society, Cumberland County Historical Society, Shiresmantown Historical Society, and the Mechanicsburg Museum Association.
The church played a pivotal role in the Civil War.
“It was actually held by Confederate troops [for two days]," explained Shaw. "There is some documentation they actually pushed some local people in there because they were afraid they’d go tell the Union they were here.”
The church was set up with artillery during those two days on June 28 and 29, 1863.
But now, there’s a new battle.
For more than five decades, the church has been owned by the state and operated through the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission.
It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has a state marker.
“It’s like a museum in there," said Janice Lynx, executive director of the West Shore Historical Society. "It is, I believe, the oldest church in Cumberland County in its original condition.”
In 2020, the PHMC decided its history was not significant enough to keep the church in its hands.
Good Shepherd Anglican Reformed Episcopal Church in Harrisburg was the only local group that expressed interest. It is now working to become the church's new owner.
“I’m very committed to having this building look as much as it does now for years to come," said Rev. Father Ricky McCarl, vicar at Good Shepherd.
However, groups like the West Shore Historical Society are not in favor.
“It would seem like we’re going back in time," said Lynx. "The reason the state owned it in the first place was because two congregations couldn’t afford to maintain it.”
Members believe the congregation has good intentions, but allowing weekly worship could lead to wear and tear which will ultimately ruin the building.
According to Rev. Father McCarl, the congregation has plans to construct a new parking lot in the front of the property.
“We unfortunately have to," he explained. "Years ago, there was an accident out on the main road in which a member of the Friends of Peace Church was hit and killed and so for safety purposes there has to be a parking lot here, regardless of who owns the building."
He continued, "So plans have been made to put a parking lot in the front of the building. It’s going to be historically sensitive in the sense that it’s going to be a below-the-surface material so grass can grow over top of it so it shouldn’t change the look of the property too much.”
The historical society has expressed concerns about this as well, as many bodies are buried underneath the property. Rev. Father McCarl ensures the congregation is doing everything it can to protect them.
"We’ve had ground-penetrating radar done so we’re confident that in the front of the property, there will be no issue," he said.
The West Shore Historical Society would rather the building go to the Friends of Peace Church, which has stewarded the property since the 1970s.
“For all those years, they’ve kept the church in pristine condition," said Lynx. "They also pay for the maintenance for the church and the property.”
The historical society has been working on gathering support from the community, as it requests a pause in the transfer process from the state. The group has collected hundreds of signatures through petitions.
“Everybody who hears about the danger of this [building] possibly changing hands and some changes coming in that way, they really don’t want that," said Shaw. "Neither do we."
State lawmakers must vote on legislation for the transfer to become official, which Rev. Father McCarl hopes will happen by fall.
“Our hope is to work with community organizations to continue having the programming here at the church they’ve always offered," he said.
Jay Losiewicz, communications director for the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, told FOX43 on Monday that no legislation has been drafted yet.
Still, Lynx says they are hopeful they can gather enough support for the state to change its mind.
“There’s always hope," said Lynx. "Until the state legislature act goes through, we have hope for sure.”
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