Allegheny Baptist Church
Also known as: Free Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Built between August 1847 and January 1849, this one-story frame church on Main Street in Pleasantville began as the home of a Baptist society organized by Aaron Benedict, a native of Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The rectangular building has a square belfry rising about 22 feet above the roof, white pine lap siding, a cut sandstone foundation, and windows of four over four panes. Flat pilasters flank the wide central entrance and mark each corner, and a plain wooden frieze crosses the front. The interior is a single large room with a pulpit platform at the front. The Baptist organization continued until 1890, although its last pastor retired in 1879. After 1890 a Free Methodist congregation acquired the building and continues to use it. The nomination describes it as an excellent, little-altered example of simple Greek Revival design, with Mamley Colton Beebe named as architect.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of a simple Greek Revival building that has been little altered since it was built in 1847-49. It also records the founding of a Baptist society in Pleasantville, which used the building until 1890, after which a Free Methodist congregation obtained it.
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 78002478, listed December 15, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | PA 27 and Main St., Pleasantville |
|---|---|
| County | Venango County |
| Listed | December 15, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002478 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1847 - 49 |
| Architect / builder | Mamley Colton Beebe (architect) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (described in the description as classical revival) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as the Free Methodist Church of Pleasantville; the form marks it occupied by a religious use and states it has been little altered. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.59721, -79.58055 (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 78002478.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4731280
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.