Christ Temple AME Zion Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Christ Temple AME Zion Church
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View from the west. The church faces northwest.
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | 235 E. Meeting St., Dandridge, Tennessee |
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| Architectural style | Gable-front |
| MPS | Rural African-American Churches in Tennessee MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 05001221 |
| Added to NRHP | November 09, 2005 |
The Christ Temple AME Zion Church is a special historic building in Dandridge, Tennessee. It's also known as the Belmont Annex Fellowship Hall. This church has a long history and was an important place for the African-American community in Dandridge. You can find it at 235 East Meeting Street.
Contents
A Church with a Journey
Its First Home
The Christ Temple AME Zion Church building was first built around 1888. It was originally located in the southwestern part of Dandridge. The church stood right behind another church called Bethel Presbyterian Church.
In 1912, the church congregation had a special rededication ceremony. At this time, the church was officially named Christ Temple AME Zion. To remember this important event, a marble stone was placed in the church's foundation. This stone shows the new name and the date.
Moving to a New Spot
A big change happened for the church in 1935. The local school board needed the land where the church stood. They wanted to build a new school there. This new school was part of a special government program called the New Deal.
So, the school board bought some land on East Meeting Street and Lake Drive. This land belonged to another church group. The school board then traded this new land with the Christ Temple AME Zion congregation. This way, the church got a new place to move its building.
The church building was carefully moved to its new location. It was then rebuilt using parts of the original 1888 building. Some new materials were also added during this rebuilding process.
What the Church Looks Like
The church building is a single-story structure. It has a "gable-front" design, which means the front wall extends up to form a triangle, like the end of a roof. The church sits on a strong brick foundation. Its outside walls are covered with weatherboard siding, and the roof is made of metal.
The main entrance is set back into an archway. On each side of the entrance, there are two square windows with two panes of glass. Above the entrance, at the very top of the front wall, there is a wooden vent. This vent helps air move through the building.
Later Years and Recognition
Becoming an Annex
The Christ Temple AME Zion Church stopped its regular services in 2002. At that time, only five active members were left in the congregation. The building then became an annex, or extra part, of the Belmont AME Zion Church. The Belmont church is located on Swannsylvania Road in Jefferson County.
A Historic Landmark
In 2005, the church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of buildings, sites, and objects that are important in American history. When it was listed, there were plans to restore the church's inside. This included removing old carpet, fake pine wall panels, and a dropped ceiling that had been put in around 1970.
