Old Swedes Church (Holy Trinity)

Old Swedes Church, formally known as Holy Trinity Church, stands on Church Street in Wilmington, Delaware, and holds the distinction of being the oldest Christian church still standing in its original form and in continuous active use in the United States. Built between 1698 and 1699 by Swedish Lutheran colonists near the banks of the Christina River, the church served the descendants of New Sweden — the Swedish colonial settlement established at nearby Fort Christina in 1638 — and has remained in continuous use for more than 325 years.

The church building is a remarkably simple structure of brown fieldstone with a steeply pitched roof, reflecting the plain Swedish Lutheran aesthetic of its era. The interior preserves the original hand-hewn log-timber gallery (1713), medieval-style chancel furniture, a pulpit dating to the early 18th century, and box pews that survive from the colonial period. The painted ceiling is an exceptional survival of early colonial ecclesiastical craftsmanship. Parish records extending back to 1713 are among the oldest continuous church records in North America and remain in active use by genealogical researchers.

The surrounding churchyard contains grave markers dating from the late 1600s through the 19th century, including stones for Swedish and Finnish colonial settlers who arrived on the early New Sweden voyages. The adjacent Old Swedes House (c. 1698) is one of the earliest surviving structures in Wilmington. A small museum space in the church basement presents the history of New Sweden, Swedish colonization of the Delaware Valley, and the Christina Riverfront setting through artifacts and interpretive displays. Admission is free, with donations welcomed for preservation. The Christina Riverfront entertainment and restaurant district is a ten-minute walk north along the river, making Old Swedes Church a natural historic stop on a riverfront itinerary. The church is open to visitors Wednesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM; Sunday morning services continue as an active congregation.