Burlington Meeting House
The first Burlington Meeting House - a hexagonal wooden structure -
was built in 1683, and served for 100 years, even being seized during
the Revolutionary War and used as a barracks.
Standing at 340 High Street, the present Burlington Meeting House was
constructed in the mid-1780's by the Religious Society of Friends
(Quakers) to replace the original smaller structure. In 1994 and 1995,
major renovations and additions converted the Meeting House into a
conference center, which opened in August of 1995 with facilities for
day use by groups up to 200, and accomodations
for 88.
The Meeting House now hosts weekend gatherings of high-school-aged
Young Friends from around the greater Philadelphia region, as well as
other groups. Significant portions of the original meeting room were
preserved as part of the renovations, and continue to be used for
meetings and seminars.
The Quaker burial ground behind the Meeting House holds the graves of
several prominent Friends, including Dr. Joseph Taylor, founder of
Bryn Mawr College, printer Isaac Collins,
and missionary Stephen Grellet. Also
buried here is Chief Ockanickon of the Mantas
tribe of the Lenape.
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