Cline's Church of the United Brethren in Christ
Also known as: Cline's United Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1850 of local limestone in Menallen Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, Cline's Church of the United Brethren in Christ is a single-story rectangular building with a low gabled roof and no spire, steeple or bell. Its walls are thick limestone, and it retains hand-hewn roof beams and floor joists. The church was founded by five local families under Rev. John Fohl, a circuit rider with the Franklin Mission, and the Peters family donated the land. Joseph and Jesse Cline, who were a sawmill operator and a farmer, are buried in the adjoining cemetery. The building is valued as a local example of rural fieldstone church design, unlike the brick or frame churches of the county. Its plain form closely resembles a typical one-room rural schoolhouse. A high vaulted ceiling was installed in 1928, and a 1988 restroom addition was built at the rear. The church has been in constant use since its construction.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a local example of a rural fieldstone church, distinct from the brick or frame churches common in Adams County at the time. Its plain form resembles the typical one-room rural schoolhouse of the period. The cemetery and the church's continuous use since construction are also cited.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 02000894, listed August 22, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Cline's Church Rd., 0.5 mi. S of PA 34, Menallen |
|---|---|
| County | Adams County |
| Listed | August 22, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000894 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850 |
| Architect / builder | Cline, Joseph; Cline, Jesse; Peters, George |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church remains in use by a congregation for Sunday services, funerals and meetings, and the original slate roof has been replaced with asphalt shingles. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 40.00055, -77.22028 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 02000894.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5133712
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.