Bell Tower Cultural Center

Easton Rotary was on the road as we traveled to Martins Creek and a visit to the Bell Tower Cultural Center. Local resident Joe Pilyar presented the history of the Center. In 1864 a cornerstone was laid for a small rural church outside the village of Martins Creek,  Pennsylvania, known today as Three Church Hill. Abraham Lincoln was President at the height of the Civil War. Through the years this Lutheran church stood as a steady sheltering place for both worship and community. In 2023 there were just 5 families left in the congregation and they decided to sell the building. A group of Martins Creek residents convinced them to sell the building to them to establish a Cultural Center.

The non-profit Three Church Hill Arts and Historical Society was formed to preserve and share the area’s rich history, folklore, arts, and humanities of the past and present. The building needed much work, and local volunteers donated a lot of the labor. A grant from Easton Rotary furnished a water purification system to provide potable water.

Elvira Woodruff likened the opening of the Center to a garden as it came to life. It has been a busy two years featuring art shows and a candlelit Christmas concert. Valentine’s day had a Moonstruck theme and a lasagna dinner. St. Patrick's day offered the movie Waking Ned Devine followed by Irish Coffee. Classes were held on topics including English gardens, scones, weaving, and jewelry making. The historical nature of the site lends itself well to school field trips. The ancient cemetery features the graves of over 20 revolutionary war soldiers. Easton Rotary sponsored a series of La Tea Da talks. Our meeting concluded with a fabulous lasagna meal courtesy of the two Marie’s (the good one and the bad one) and the ladies of a certain age.