Beth Salem Presbyterian Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Beth Salem Presbyterian Church
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Athens, Tennessee |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1920 |
| MPS | Rural African-American Churches in Tennessee MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 00000728 |
| Added to NRHP | June 22, 2000 |
Beth Salem Presbyterian Church is a special historic church located in Athens, Tennessee. It was built by and for the African-American community.
Contents
A Special Church in Athens
This church is an important part of history. It shows how communities worked together. It also reminds us of a time when many things were unfair. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. This means it is a very important historical site.
How the Church Started
The Beth Salem church community began in 1866. It was started with help from missionaries. Missionaries are people who travel to help others and share their beliefs. This made Beth Salem the very first African-American church in three nearby counties. These counties were McMinn, Meigs, and Polk.
Building a Place to Worship
At first, the church members met outdoors. They held their services under a "brush arbor." This was a simple shelter made from tree branches. Later, a kind neighbor named Ms. Patsy Fite gave them some land. On this land, they built a church made of logs.
Around 1920, the log church was destroyed by a fire. But the community did not give up! They worked together to build the church you see today. People donated wood for the new building. Both Black church members and their White neighbors helped build it. They all worked as volunteers.
The Church Building Today
The church building built in 1920 is a simple, rectangular shape. It has one story and one main room. The outside is covered with "weatherboard" siding. This is a common type of wood siding. The roof is made of metal. The front entrance has a "gable" shape, like a triangle.
This building was not just a church. It also served as a public school for part of the year. Students used it for about three to four months each year. The church's design is a good example of "vernacular architecture." This means it's a common, local style of building. It shows how many rural African-American churches were built during the Jim Crow era. This was a time in history when there were unfair rules and separation for Black people.
