First Freedom Walk
In many ways the history of St. George's echoes the history of our nation. With all the new members Absalom Jones and Richard Allen brought in and with the increasing popularity of Methodism in Philadelphia, St. George's expanded by adding a In 1787 Absalom Jones and Richard Allen led a walk out of the St. George's after the whites of the congregation decided that the black worshipers should be confined to the gallery. In 1791, Jones and Allen founded the Free African Society. African-American history is strongly linked with Methodist history. Methodism has a strong anti-slavery stance, and even before the Civil War abolitionism was a core Methodist issue. The abolition of slavery would ultimately split the Methodist church into northern and southern sects.
The Church that Moved the Bridge
St. George's was nearly demolished in 1922 to make room for the Pennsylvania side of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. At the time, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Pennsylvanians fought for the preservation of the historic church and won. In the decision, the bridge end actually had to be curved away from the original site. St. George's is now known as "The Church that Moved the Bridge" and the the bridge sits a mere 14 feet away.
Philadelphia Peace Jubilee
The Spanish-American War was a dispute started over the sinking of the USS Maine in 1898. There was an explosion in the engine room which was not battle related, but propelled by Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt, Alfred Thayer Mahan's The Influence of Sea Power Upon History and Yellow Journalism, America entered into a dispute over Cuban independence. The war only lasted four months, but the United States gained influence in Cuba as well as control of the Spanish colonies of Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico. The Jubilee was held later that year to honor the troops and to celebrate America's great success and entrance onto the world's foreign affairs .