Overcrowding at First Church on Market near Second Street by a burgeoning Scots-Irish immigrant population living and building several blocks south created a need for a Third church to serve that neighborhood. In October 1764, Thomas and Richard Penn gifted a lot at Fourth and Pine Streets to the First Church…to establish a new burial ground and build a Third church. Designed by Robert Smith, construction was funded by subscriptions and lottery. Beginning in 1768, the Pine Street pulpit was supplied by rotating ministers form the First and Second churches. That was…until the...

In 1804, a group of English independents withdrew from Second Presbyterian Church to form the “Independent Tabernacle Church.” After several years as both an independent and then a Dutch Reformed congregation, they rejoined the Presbytery as Seventh Presbyterian. In 1873, Seventh Presbyterian merged with Sixth Presbyterian under the new name “Tabernacle Presbyterian Church.” In 1883, the church relocated to West Philadelphia; the cornerstone of our present building at 37th and Chestnut was laid in 1884.

The years from 1902 – 1957 saw the start of...