Little Jerusalem AME Church
Also known as: Bensalem
Why it's listed
A one-room frame church with a gable roof, built in 1830 on a low rubble stone foundation in Bensalem Township, Bucks County. The congregation was founded in 1820 and is described as serving most of the Black families living in the township during the period 1820 to 1930. A Sabbath School was established in 1848 so that members could learn to read and write. The nomination links the congregation to Richard Allen, first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Connection, and says he supervised its establishment and built the pulpit still in the sanctuary. The exterior has been altered, with asbestos shingles added in 1931 and stucco in the 1960s, but the interior retains original woodwork, hardware, and an early pulpit and altar rail. The adjacent cemetery holds graves of Black Civil War veterans and many nineteenth-century members. The church is significant for its association with the early Black community of Bucks County and for its surviving interior.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is one of the oldest Black churches in the region, tied to the Black community of Bensalem Township from 1820 to 1930 and to Richard Allen, founder of the AME denomination. It states the interior retains original woodwork and hardware despite exterior alterations, and it contains graves of Black Civil War veterans.
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 80003429, listed December 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | 1200 Bridwater Rd., Cornwells Heights |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | December 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003429 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Areas of significance | Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church is still a part of the AME Connection and holds services; exterior covered with asbestos shingles and stucco alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.09931, -74.92359 (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 80003429.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6650507
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.