Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Florida Palm Beach Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea

Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea

The oldest house of worship in Palm Beach has a wonderful tropical garden.

Palm Beach, Florida

Added By
LaurenVolkodav
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea.   LaurenVolkodav / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  wherearewedude / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Outdoor Chapel   bsuto / Atlas Obscura User
Cluett Memorial Garden   bsuto / Atlas Obscura User
Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea.   LaurenVolkodav / Atlas Obscura User
Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea.   LaurenVolkodav / Atlas Obscura User
Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea.   LaurenVolkodav / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In response to the need for a church in the ever-growing South Florida in the late 1880s, Reverend Joseph N. Mulford, a rector at Christ Church in Troy, New York, volunteered to start a mission in South Florida. In 1889, four communicants gathered on the shores of Lake Worth to establish an Episcopal mission.

The episcopal church was originally built on the shores of Lake Worth out of old packing boxes. As the population in South Florida grew, a larger building was built in 1894 along the Intracoastal Waterway. Mulford's wife named the sanctuary the Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea, which means The House of Healing-by-the-Sea, after the gracious leader Bethesda. At the time, the oil and railroad tycoon Heery Flagler, who also attended the church, extended his railroad to the Palm Beaches, making the church even more popular.

The Gothic-style church includes an organ, courtyard, and a wonderful tropical garden. The year 2014 marked its 125th anniversary, and to this day, Bethesda-by-the-Sea is a large part of the Palm Beach community.

Related Tags

Churches Gardens Plants Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

LaurenVolkodav

Edited By

bsuto, Collector of Experiences, wherearewedude

  • bsuto
  • Collector of Experiences
  • wherearewedude

Published

August 13, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethesda-by-the-Sea
Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea
141 S County Rd
Palm Beach, Florida, 33480
United States
26.711519, -80.036777
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Henry Morrison Flagler Museum

Palm Beach, Florida

miles away

Johnnie Brown's Grave

Palm Beach, Florida

miles away

Worth Avenue Clock Tower

Palm Beach, Florida

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Palm Beach

Palm Beach

Florida

Places 4

Nearby Places

Henry Morrison Flagler Museum

Palm Beach, Florida

miles away

Johnnie Brown's Grave

Palm Beach, Florida

miles away

Worth Avenue Clock Tower

Palm Beach, Florida

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Palm Beach

Palm Beach

Florida

Places 4

Related Places

  • Class of 1959 Chapel.

    Boston, Massachusetts

    Class of 1959 Chapel

    The strikingly modern structure stands out among the brick buildings speckling the Harvard Business School's campus.

  • The church’s former interior, now a garden space.

    Chicago, Illinois

    Zion Evangelical Lutheran 'Ghost Church'

    One-of-a-kind preserved ruins of an abandoned 1880s church in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.

  • Sanctuary interior.

    San Francisco, California

    Swedenborgian Church

    The rustic cabin-like decor of this Arts and Crafts-style church reflects the love of nature central to its little-known theology.

  • Capella de Nossa Senhora das Vitórias.

    São Miguel, Portugal

    Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias

    This fairy-tale, neo-Gothic church in the Azores is a world of magical realism.

  • The statue of the Virgin Mary.

    Washington, D.C.

    Mary's Garden

    An overlooked oasis of quiet on the grounds of Washington's monumental basilica.

  • Barrow Street Garden

    New York, New York

    The Gardens at St. Luke in the Fields

    A quiet and contemplative oasis in the middle of New York's bustle and riot.

  • London, England

    The Ruins of St. Dunstan-in-the-East

    One of the few remaining casualties of the London Blitz, this destroyed church has become an enchanting public garden.

  • Fountains Abbey

    North Yorkshire, England

    Fountains Abbey

    One of the oldest and certainly best preserved Cistercian abbeys still in existence.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.