History of Pfoutz Valley Church

Once, one of three churches in the valley, Pfoutz Valley UMC is now the lone church in Pfoutz Valley. In 1854, Henry Cauffman and his wife, Mary, deeded the plot of ground on which the Church now stands to the United Brethren’s so they could construct a Church building. In 1946 the United Brethren Church merged with the Evangelical Church and became the Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968, with the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist denominations the church became the Pfoutz Valley United Methodist Church and part of the three-church Millerstown Charge.

The United Brethren Church of 1854 was a one room brick sanctuary and became known as “the brick Church”. Over the years, many improvements were made to the original brick structure. In 1902, the two single doorways in the front wall were bricked shut and double doors were cut into the center of the wall. A brick vestibule was built in front of the new doorway, the walls were extended upward and topped with a belfry. Enough of the basement was excavated and a wooden stairway was constructed in 1946 for a Sunday School/social room. The last major updates were started in 1981 and included the removal of the old wooden staircase, renovation of the Sunday School/social room area and the addition of a two-story annex on the right side of the church with a new staircase to the basement. Two bathrooms and two closets were added on the upper floor of the annex and a kitchen added on the bottom floor.