Information about the German Target Club, also known as the ‘Schuetzen Platz”, arrived in my mailbox thanks to Bob Leighty, president of the Merion Village Association. In an earlier post I questioned the information I had heard surrounding the building that now houses St. Paul United Church of Christ at 225 East Gates.
According to the articles, the Target Club opened the shooting range in the latter part of 1859. The three-acre area is said to have encompassed land between what is now Hanford Street to the south and Nursery Alley to the north. For thirty-three years the area was used for shooting practice. In July of 1892 the Target Club was dissolved as the younger generation of Germans lost interest in the activity.
Between 1892 and 1908 the building was owned by local florist Earl Metzmaier whose son William was a member of an organization known as The White Owl Club, but it is not stated with what activities the White Owl Club was involved.
The building later became a church and appears to have remained in use as such since 1908.
