Blue River Friends Hicksite Meeting House and Cemetery
The Blue River Friends Hicksite Meeting House and Cemetery was established in 1815 and is the 4th Quaker church established in the state of Indiana. This house of worship and community center was the heartbeat of the Quaker neighborhood and was generally described as overflowing with attendees.
The Meeting house attracted regular attendance from noted citizens like General Marston Clark, U.S. Judge Benjamin Parke, and Indiana’s first Lt. Governor, Christopher Harrison.
The meeting house was divided in 1829, with the introduction of the Elias Hicks into the Quaker life. After this separation Hicks’s followers called themselves the Liberal branch of the Society of Friends, but orthodox Quakers labeled them Hicksites. The Hicksites remained isolated from other Quakers until the 20th century, when mutual cooperation began to prevail.
Some Quaker traditions claim the Hicksite followers took armed physical possession of the church and barred the Orthodox members from entry into the meeting house.
The Blue River Friends Hicksite Meeting House and Cemetery was added to National Register of Historic Places on November 30th 2020.
Listing Details
Year Established
1815
Element
Meeting House
Status
Standing