The men who built this lovely Carpenter Gothic church in the 1870’s were newly emancipated, just getting their bearings in a landscape that no longer included slavery. Today, nearly 150 years later, it remains - but just barely.
The congregation held on for as long as they could, finally dwindling down to ten members before moving on. That is not to say, however, that the descendants of those builders and early congregants do not still hold the little chapel close to their hearts.
In fact, their numbers are many. The community at large has watched with sadness and apprehension for decades as the structure itself has endured a slow decline. Many preservation organizations have made outreach to the owners in recent years, but the difficulty of coordinating denominational interests, community interests, cultural interests, and financial availability has left Brevard’s Chapel Church in Lincoln County, North Carolina defenseless against a planned demolition, slated to happen within weeks.
Following the announcement, multiple organizations have banded together and are speaking with one voice, asking for a pause in the plan until a second opinion can be rendered. Those of us who have been in the preservation trenches for decades know that a very large percentage of historic structures that are saved were originally designated as “tear downs”.
So far, our pleas to the church conference have been denied or otherwise met with silence.
I would like to sign but i don’t see where to sign
Sounds like a full time job keeping track of what will be destroyed. Beautiful little church!