This was the beginning of what would be a great University. Conwell's house was at 2004 North Park. Third house from the corner on the other side of Park and Norris. His home was right across the street from the original Park Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church.

On December 9, 1947, it was rededicated in memory of the parents of Morgan H. Thomas, John R. and Mary Hunsicker Thomas. The December 12, 1947 issue of the Temple University News refers to Morgan Thomas as a "prominent Philadelphia business man." Morgan was active in church affairs, stated the article. He received his honorary doctorate on February 15, 1947 from Temple. Morg must have been a heavy contributor. Morgan was president of a local paper and twine wholesale operation. See, it wasn't named after Harold Thomas. (Harold was the janitor in the building for many years and retired in 1973.) Another Thomas long associated with the School of Theology housed in this structure was Dr. J. S. Ladd Thomas. He was that school's Dean from 1943 to 1958. The Theology School's library was also located in Thomas Hall for years. None of these three Thomas' are related to our knowledge.

The School of Theology occupied the building until 1960 when the School was closed. For about nine years, its successor, the Conwell School of Theology, administratively separate from the University, stayed on in the building. Later the Conwell School merged under the guidance of Dr. Billy Graham with another institution and moved from the Temple campus at the University's urging.

The main sanctuary was erected in 1886 and was connected to the original 1873 structure. By 1900, the 1873 section had developed structure problems and was replaced a new and larger section. The 1998 version of the structure had no structure defects. Temple simply wished to "modernize" the campus.

Part of the reason for the erection of the 1886 structure was that Dr. Russell Conwell, founder of Temple University and pastor of the Grace Baptist Church was such an outstanding orator that his church always had an overflow crowd. Since the Park Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church was only a couple blocks away, they took in much of the overflow. Remember in the last part of the 19th century, church attendance was very important.

On at least three occasions, Dr. Russell Conwell spoke in this building. One time was in 1888 and again in 1900, probably associated with the dedication of the building and additions. On at least one other time, Dr. Conwell addressed his congregation, The Grace Baptist Church in this building. The original Conwell church was demolished by the University in 1969 and sat on the spot now occupied by Gladfelter Hall.

Right until the end, its large auditorium was used for theater and music performances by the School of Music and SCAT. The rest of the structure was used for offices. The old WRTI studios in the basement were gone but the walls, doors and windows were still there. It was used for music rehearsals. Spirits of an old great college radio station remain behind long after the hardware was removed.

The original structure which is the main sanctuary area (nearest to Norris Street) was built in 1886, with ground breaking on July 7th of that year. It was, until its demolition in the summer of 1998, the oldest surviving free-standing structure on the University's campus. Designed by the well-known Philadelphia firm of Hazelhurst and Huckel, the building was completed in 1888. The choice of architects was decided by a competition. One drawing, a losing entry, by architect Benjamin Linfoot, dated March 1886, is currently on file at the Athenaeum in Philadelphia. It is a pen and ink drawing.

Hazelhurst and Huckel went on to specialize in church design for dozens of prestigious Philadelphia congregations; probably their best-known project is the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on South 6th Street. The firm was the partnership of Edward P. Hazelhurst, an apprentice of both T.P. Chandler and Frank Furness (two of the foremost architects in Philadelphia at that time), and Samuel Huckel, Jr., who was an apprentice of Samuel D. Price.

Hazelhurst was born on December 29, 1853 near Brandenburg, Meade County, Kentucky, where his mother's family maintained a plantation. He entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1876 but did not graduate. Huckel was born 1858 in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. He died on April 18, 1917 in Philadelphia. Young Samuel was a graduate of Philadelphia's Central high School, class of 1879. According to an architectural text book, "It is possible that during Huckel's affiliation with Hazelhurst he had been (totally) responsible for the firm's church designs." The Park Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church was their first church commission. In 1891 the firm returned to design the adjacent parsonage, known today as the Presser Learning Center. Though the University destroyed Thomas Hall (the Main Sanctuary), the parsonage today still stands. In 1900, the rest of structure of Thomas Hall was added. The partnership began in 1881 and continued until 1900, when Huckel received the commission to remodel Grand Central Station in New York City. The firm worked on residential commissions, and designed homes for prominent Philadelphia area families, such as the home of Joseph Sinnott in Rosemont, PA., now part of Rosemont College. Their work included the Daniel Baugh Mansion which once stood on the Northwest corner of 16th and Locust at 1601 Locust Street. It was built in 1893 and no longer exists. Another one of their designs was the Old Session House built at 502 Cherry Street, also erected in 1893. In the book, "Architecture Through a Camera," published a hundred years ago, Hazelhurst and Huckel also designed the Executive Mansion in Harrisburg, Pa. In 1887, they did modification work on Hahnemann Medical College. The next year, they designed and built the Universalist Church of the Messiah, which existed on the Southeast corner of Broad and Montgomery.

According to the University of Pennsylvania, Huckel (along with Hazelhurst) "designed many of the finer buildings in Philadelphia." After Huckel's departure, Edward Hazelhurst's later works included several major commissions for Pennsylvania State University. Patterson Hall at Penn State was designed by Hazelhurst and completed in 1904. The Weaver Building built in 1914 was designed, according to Penn State, along the lines of Hazelhurst's style. Hazelhurst continued his independent career until his death on New Year's Day of 1915 in Media, Pennsylvania. Huckel returned to Philadelphia late in 1901, but the partners were not reunited. Instead Huckel formed a new partnership with church architect Frank R. Watson (also from Frankford and also a graduate of Central High), under the name of Watson & Huckel. Not surprisingly, the firm achieved quite a reputation for church design, building on the experience of both partners.

On November 1, 1888, the Methodist Episcopal Churches of Philadelphia gave a reception in the honor of Bishop Cyrus D. Foss at the Academy of Music. On May 3, 1894, The Temple College dedicated College Hall. Bishop Foss was there to offer the prayer while the Governor of Pennsylvania, Robert Pattison presided.

The following information was obtained from the 1903 Directory of the Charitable Social Improvement, Educational and Religious Associations and Churches of Philadelphia.

The church was located on the southwest corner of North Park Avenue and Norris Streets. Its street address was 1947 North Park Avenue. The Pastor may be seen daily at 12:15 pm at the parsonage adjoining the church. "Adequate relief is given to the stewards and the Pastor of the church." The church's organizations included "The United Circle of the King's Daughters." This charitable group was led by their President, Miss C.S. Bradley. She lived at 2000 North Park Avenue. (This was the Northwest corner of Park and Norris where Peabody Hall now sits). Ladies from the church assist in the sewing school of the Forward Movement Mission at 2nd and Bainbridge.

According to a Temple University document, Thomas Hall was "a picturesque union of auditorium and Sunday School building which has some of the varied form and angularity of the Victorian Gothic style, here expressed in rock-faced Trenton brownstone trimmed in Euclid sandstone." Michael Stern, Director, Historic Religious Properties Program and Technical Services of the Preservation Alliance said before its demolition,

Thomas Hall is a particularly exuberant example of the High Victorian Gothic style, and one of the firm's finest works, with strong massing and a roughly textured facade. It is reminiscent of Romanesque structures with some elements, such as the tracery and pinnacles, borrowed from Gothic architecture. The cross-gable plan is augmented by a rectangular bell tower on the northeast and the gable ends feature large stained glass windows. Thomas Hall is truly "a gift to the street."

In the building's main sanctuary, on the Park Avenue side, there was an old metal plaque on the wall which reads:

To the Glory of God and in Blessed Memory of Frances Sappington & Thomas Sappington, Charter members of this church born August 24, 1830 and February 9, 1829 entered into eternal life January 2, 1909 and January 4, 1910 They were full of love and good works for their Divine Master and for this Sanctuary "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."

To the Glory of God and in Blessed Memory of Susanna Senior and John R. Senior, Charter members of this church born July 5, 1830 and March 6, 1831 entered into eternal life March 4, 1906 and January 16, 1911 "Faith, Hope and Love, and the greatest of these is love."

In 1964, the building went throguh some minor renovations. Here's a Temple University News article about the repairs written by WRTI's Kenn Venit.

During the demolition of Thomas Hall, these two plaques were removed. Once this was done, the original design of the wall dating from at least 1910 (probably earlier) became visible.