Wesley Grove was originally know as Davis’s Woods and was used for picnics and church outinge before “The Wesley Grove Camp Meeting” was established.
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For those of you that don't know, Wesley Grove is located on the Yardville - Crosswicks Road (the continuation of Broad Street) Between Route 130 and Main Street, in Groveville.
This was always a mysterious place to us kids growing up in Groveville, each summer people would come there at different times of the summer. It was a retreat for those who followed the faith of the Wesleyan Methodists, this group, named after the founder of the Methodism and the Methodist Church, John Wesley 1703 - 1791.
Some weeks there would be adults only at the Grove, other weeks it would be Families and then there would be the retreats for teenagers.
John Wesley was an Evangelist and a strong proponent of “Open Air Sermons” and this is what was practiced there, something we did not see in the Groveville Methodist Church.
There was a large Worship area, this was known as “The Main Auditorium” and in keeping with John Wesley’s love for outdoor sermons, this was a large roof structure held up by large square wooden pillars, otherwise it was completely open.
Sometime later this large building was partially enclosed, it had permanent walls that extended only about four feet from the floor, then the upper wall sections to the roof were hinged so they could be raised outward to form an awning around the building and leaving the building wide open to the outside, this way the building could be closed and weatherproof during the off season.
Inside were wooden benches with a podium for the speaker. On both sides of the podium was an open area, usually covered in straw for those of the congregation that wished to, and often did, profess their love of God, very exuberantly. This was something that also peaked the curiosity of us attending the Groveville Methodist Church, where our parents told us to “Sit still, be quiet and listen”, and quite a change for us. As kids we would sneak up through the woods behind this building to observe the worship.
The area consisted of small cottages or tiny bungalows, these were only used during the summer retreats, the rest of the year they sat empty and closed. Most of the cottages are still there along the Yardville – Crosswicks Road and along the adjoining, Pilgrim Way. Today most of these small cottages are permanent residences; they have been improved and added on to.
At one time there was a large three story dormitory or rooming house, the rooms on the second floor were suitable for one or maybe two persons on the third floor was a large dormitory type room. There was also a large dining area and kitchen or Mess Hall on the first floor. This building was destroyed by fire in the 1960’s and some of the other buildings were removed, including the Main Auditorium
At one time there was a well in the center of the area where water could be drawn by a bucket, also there was a large divided “Bathhouse and Shower Building” still there today.
There is still the Chapel and some other adjoining buildings there and in use today, for regular Sunday Worship.
I found the more I researched the more information I found. Every time I would plan to post what I had about Wesley Grove I found a more interesting story to post. I found several hundred articles concerning Wesley Grove, I stopped counting and looking, but I would be willing to state there were almost a thousand if not more, articles printed on Wesley Grove
As one of these articles states there were at one time as many as 1500 visitors at the Grove. The Trenton Traction Company, our local Trolley company, had laid tracks and wires to Crosswicks, in hopes of capitalizing on the summer traffic to the Grove. The tracks were laid and the wires run, but the trolley never ran. The Trenton Traction Company was never able to secure permission to cross the Pennsylvania Railroad in Yardville, so even though everything was in place, no Trolley.
As a child I don’t remember the actual tracks, my mother does, but I do remember if you were driving toward Crosswicks from Yardville, the left shoulder of the roadway was much wider than the right, almost like it was another lane of traffic wide, this is where the tracks once ran.
One article mentions that the Grove sits on a beautiful lake, suitable for swimming or boating, this beautiful lake was the Groveville Mill Pond, this lake extended from the dam on Church Street, extending around the Grove, all the way to the Springdale Amusement Park on the Yardville Allentown Road, located across from the present Yardville School, now home of the CYO Camp.
This was always a mysterious place to us kids growing up in Groveville, each summer people would come there at different times of the summer. It was a retreat for those who followed the faith of the Wesleyan Methodists, this group, named after the founder of the Methodism and the Methodist Church, John Wesley 1703 - 1791.
Some weeks there would be adults only at the Grove, other weeks it would be Families and then there would be the retreats for teenagers.
John Wesley was an Evangelist and a strong proponent of “Open Air Sermons” and this is what was practiced there, something we did not see in the Groveville Methodist Church.
There was a large Worship area, this was known as “The Main Auditorium” and in keeping with John Wesley’s love for outdoor sermons, this was a large roof structure held up by large square wooden pillars, otherwise it was completely open.
Sometime later this large building was partially enclosed, it had permanent walls that extended only about four feet from the floor, then the upper wall sections to the roof were hinged so they could be raised outward to form an awning around the building and leaving the building wide open to the outside, this way the building could be closed and weatherproof during the off season.
Inside were wooden benches with a podium for the speaker. On both sides of the podium was an open area, usually covered in straw for those of the congregation that wished to, and often did, profess their love of God, very exuberantly. This was something that also peaked the curiosity of us attending the Groveville Methodist Church, where our parents told us to “Sit still, be quiet and listen”, and quite a change for us. As kids we would sneak up through the woods behind this building to observe the worship.
The area consisted of small cottages or tiny bungalows, these were only used during the summer retreats, the rest of the year they sat empty and closed. Most of the cottages are still there along the Yardville – Crosswicks Road and along the adjoining, Pilgrim Way. Today most of these small cottages are permanent residences; they have been improved and added on to.
At one time there was a large three story dormitory or rooming house, the rooms on the second floor were suitable for one or maybe two persons on the third floor was a large dormitory type room. There was also a large dining area and kitchen or Mess Hall on the first floor. This building was destroyed by fire in the 1960’s and some of the other buildings were removed, including the Main Auditorium
At one time there was a well in the center of the area where water could be drawn by a bucket, also there was a large divided “Bathhouse and Shower Building” still there today.
There is still the Chapel and some other adjoining buildings there and in use today, for regular Sunday Worship.
I found the more I researched the more information I found. Every time I would plan to post what I had about Wesley Grove I found a more interesting story to post. I found several hundred articles concerning Wesley Grove, I stopped counting and looking, but I would be willing to state there were almost a thousand if not more, articles printed on Wesley Grove
As one of these articles states there were at one time as many as 1500 visitors at the Grove. The Trenton Traction Company, our local Trolley company, had laid tracks and wires to Crosswicks, in hopes of capitalizing on the summer traffic to the Grove. The tracks were laid and the wires run, but the trolley never ran. The Trenton Traction Company was never able to secure permission to cross the Pennsylvania Railroad in Yardville, so even though everything was in place, no Trolley.
As a child I don’t remember the actual tracks, my mother does, but I do remember if you were driving toward Crosswicks from Yardville, the left shoulder of the roadway was much wider than the right, almost like it was another lane of traffic wide, this is where the tracks once ran.
One article mentions that the Grove sits on a beautiful lake, suitable for swimming or boating, this beautiful lake was the Groveville Mill Pond, this lake extended from the dam on Church Street, extending around the Grove, all the way to the Springdale Amusement Park on the Yardville Allentown Road, located across from the present Yardville School, now home of the CYO Camp.
This is the Main Building, I have been told this building was used by guest speakers and those of importance that visited the Grove. The second floor were bedrooms and the lower floor was a kitchen and dining area and a large common area or living room. To the right is the Young Peoples Temple.
Just one of hundreds of articles written about the Wesley Grove Camp Meeting.
E.S. Willey is just one of the many people of the area that donated and helped make this Methodist Camp Meeting, a success. E.S. Willey is the owner of E.S. Willey Lumber and Real Estate, South Broad Street and Rowan Avenues, in Hamilton..
Pictured above is Rev. N.H. Barrett, Vice-President of the Wesley Grove Camp Meeting Association
This is the Main Building, the small house to the left is the homeof the Pastor or Director of the Grove.
Front of Postcard, showing the Main Auditorium
This is the back of the post card. Seems like someone was enjoying their stay at "The Camp". Wonder where "Anita" is today.
Programs and speakers were well advertised, I found so many articles advertising programs and speakers for the Wesley Grove Camp Meeting
This article shows the Young Peoples Temple in November, 1917
This is the Young Peoples Temple today.
These are some of the older cabins at the park, the age of these cabins are reflected in the age of the automobile, the rear of the automobile can be see in the left of this photo. This may be "Camp" and it may be "Rustic", but as we can see the men still wore ties.
This article is only one of many, very many, I found expressing concern and dismay over the trolley problem, or the lack of trolley.
