The distinguished structure now home to Oldestone Steakhouse began its life in 1873–1874 as the New Hope Methodist Episcopal Church, later known as the New Hope United Methodist Church. Built on land purchased for $600, it stood between two other historic landmarks—the Logan Inn and the Crook home, now the Mansion Inn. Designed by architect James Bird and constructed with the stonework of mason Peter S. Naylor, the building was valued at $14,000 upon completion. Its Gothic sandstone façade, soaring ceilings, and intricate stained glass windows made it an architectural treasure from the day it opened.
The church replaced an earlier wood-frame Methodist church on Mechanic Street, which had fallen into disrepair. While no photographs of the original structure are known to exist, its cemetery remains adjacent to the municipal parking lot. For 125 years, the building served as a spiritual center for New Hope’s Methodist community. Its congregation included both African Methodist Episcopal members in the early 1800s and white Methodist groups by the 1830s, reflecting the religious diversity and energy of the Second Great Awakening, a revival movement that swept America between 1795 and 1835. The final service in the building was held in 1999, after which the congregation relocated to Solebury.
Following its closure as a church, the building entered a new chapter as Marsha Brown’s, a Creole-inspired fine dining restaurant that operated for nearly two decades. Known for its dramatic ambiance and refined cuisine, Marsha Brown’s became a dining destination in New Hope before closing during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the space was reimagined as Oldestone Steakhouse, a modern metropolitan steakhouse that honors the building’s architectural grandeur while offering USDA Prime steaks, fresh seafood, and craft cocktails. Many of the original features remain intact, including the stained glass windows, repurposed church pews, a striking 30-foot mural titled Redemption by Russian artist Valeriy Belenikin, chandeliers featured in John Wick 3, and a speakeasy-style jazz lounge on the third floor. New Hope itself has a rich history dating back 10,000 years, when the Lenni-Lenape Native Americans settled along the Delaware River. In the early 1700s, William Penn authorized land sales that led to the founding of the town. Originally known as Coryell’s Ferry, the area became a vital crossing point on Old York Road, the main route between Philadelphia and New York City. George Washington lodged in New Hope the night before his famous crossing of the Delaware River in 1776 and later ordered the ferry destroyed to prevent British pursuit. The town endured shelling during the Revolutionary War, and some buildings are still said to contain unexploded ordnance in their rafters. In the 19th century, the opening of the Delaware Canal in 1832 transformed New Hope into a thriving trade hub. Officially incorporated in 1837 after a devastating fire destroyed Benjamin Parry’s mills, the rebuilt town was seen as a “new hope” for the community, giving rise to its name. The 20th century brought a cultural renaissance, with New Hope becoming a haven for Pennsylvania Impressionist painters such as Daniel Garber and Edward Redfield, and the Bucks County Playhouse, opened in 1939, attracting theatrical luminaries including Helen Hayes, George C. Scott, and Robert Redford. In 2002, New Hope made history again by becoming the first borough in Pennsylvania to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Today, the building remains an integral part of New Hope’s living history. Preserved through the work of the New Hope Historical Society, it stands as a testament to the town’s evolution from a colonial ferry crossing to a vibrant cultural and culinary destination. Its transformation from church to celebrated restaurant captures both the spirit of preservation and the creativity that defines New Hope!
