Our History

In the early 1800's Maplewood was known as Jefferson Village, named in honor of Thomas Jefferson. It was a tiny rural farming community of two-dozen families and had no store, church, tavern, blacksmith shop or mill.

Right: The White Chapel at Ridgewood Road and
Bear Lane in 1812

1810	Jefferson Village Baptist Society was formed by a dynamic layperson, Elder Joseph Gildersleeve, who led this tiny congregation for 36 years.
1811	Little White Chapel was built on the corner of Ridgewood Road and Claremont Avenue.
1846	Elder Gildersleeve died at age 72.
1848	Jefferson Village Baptist society disbanded.
1854	Newly formed Jefferson Village Methodist Society leased the building.
1858	Remaining trustees of the Baptist Society gave the White Chapel to the Methodist Society. This generous act epitomized the ecumenical spirit of this community.
1860	First railroad train station was built where the train tracks crossed Baker Street, and was named Maplewood after a large maple tree that stood nearby. Eventually the name Maplewood encompassed Jefferson Village, Vaux Hall, Clinton Valley and numerous other small settlements.
1860-1899	Methodist Society prospered and multiplied. Thirty-three preachers ministered to the growing flock in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Maplewood before the arrival of Reverend John I. Morrow.
1889	Reverend Morrow was already 66 when he was appointed. He found a dedicated congregation who was anxious to expand and had bought a lot on Lenox Place as a new church site. At his first trustee meeting, he urged that money be raised to move the building.
1890	The White Chapel after it had been moved to Ridgewood Road and Lenox Place Little wooden White Chapel was jacked up from its foundation, put on rollers and pulled down Ridgewood Road under the power of a horse using a capstan. The journey took about a week, after which a vestibule and steps were added to the front, and a steeple was built.
1892	John Morrow retired, and died five years later. The church honored his extraordinary leadership by renaming the church the Morrow Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church of Maplewood.
1911	First part of the present stone church building was built and dedicated. The White Chapel continued to be used for Sunday School.
1922	Name of the Township was officially changed to "Maplewood."
1926	White Chapel had to be demolished to make way for further expansion.
1927	Remainder of the stone structure was erected including the present Sunday School rooms and the church office.
1942	Moeller pipe organ was installed.
1954	Fellowship Hall wing was added.
1968	Church was renamed "Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church."