Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church
|
|
Front and western side of the church
|
|
 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
|
|
| Nearest city | U.S. Route 52 at Little Cedar Rd., southeast of Brookville, Brookville Township, Franklin County, Indiana |
|---|---|
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1812 |
| Built by | Carter, Thomas; Winscott, Thomas |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000366 |
| Added to NRHP | March 22, 1990 |
The Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church is a very old and important building in Franklin County, Indiana. It was started in 1797 by a group of early settlers who were Primitive Baptists. The church building you see today was built in 1812. It is special because it's the oldest church in Indiana that is still standing in the exact same spot where it was first built!
This historic church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. This means it's recognized as a very important place in American history.
How the Church Started
The Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church was formed in 1797. Its first members were Primitive Baptists who had traveled from Virginia through Kentucky. Elder William Tyner and his family were among these first members. They created the Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church, which was the very first church in the Whitewater River Valley.
Around 1805, the members built a simple log church. This first church was located a few miles southeast of Brookville, Indiana. Later, in 1812, they built the larger brick church that stands today. This new church had a balcony and even special openings that could be used for defense. The Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church is now open as a historic site for people to visit. There is also a small cemetery nearby where some of the first settlers are buried.
Another church, the Big Cedar Baptist Church and Burying Ground, was connected to the Little Cedar Grove Baptist Church. It was like a branch of this original church.
Building the Church
The church group had been meeting for several years before they built the permanent brick building. In December 1811, a series of very strong earthquakes happened. These were called the New Madrid earthquakes. The church members believed these earthquakes were a sign that they needed to build a proper church.
A church leader named Rev. Allen Wiley said that people were very scared. They prayed a lot and promised to do good deeds. They made a promise to God that if the earthquakes stopped, they would build a church. After this promise, the church members quickly started building their new brick church. The building was finished on August 1, 1812.
See also
- List of the oldest churches in the United States
