Mount Sterling Methodist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mount Sterling Methodist Church
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The church in August 2009
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | Near jct. of CR 43 and CR 27, Mount Sterling, Alabama |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1859 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000995 |
| Added to NRHP | May 8, 1986 |
The Mount Sterling Methodist Church is a very old church building located in Mount Sterling, Alabama. It's near where Choctaw County Road 43 and Choctaw County Road 27 meet. This church is special because it looks much like it did when it was built.
It shows a simple style called Greek Revival. This style was popular for churches in the middle 1800s. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 8, 1986. This means it's an important historical site in the United States.
Contents
Church History
Building the Church in 1859
The Mount Sterling Methodist Church was finished in 1859. At that time, Mount Sterling was a busy town before the American Civil War. A family named Catterlin gave the land for the church. They were among the first people to settle in Choctaw County. They even started the town's first post office in 1838.
This church was the first building in the county made only for church services. Before this, another church was first built as a meeting place for a group called the Masons and a school.
Changes Over Time
People used the church for services until the 1970s. By then, fewer people were attending, and the church could not afford to keep it up. In 1980, the church property was given to the Choctaw County Historical Society.
This group had less than 50 members. But they worked for over 15 years to raise money. They carefully fixed up the church building. Now, it is used as a community hall for the area. It is one of only two churches from the 1800s still standing in Mount Sterling. The other is St. John's Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.
Church Design and Style
Outside the Church
The church building is shaped like a rectangle. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, called a gable roof. The building rests on separate brick supports. The outside walls are covered with white lap board siding.
The front of the church has two sets of doors. Above these doors is a plain triangle-shaped part, like on old Greek buildings. This is called a pediment. Each side of the church has four windows with nine small glass panes on the top and nine on the bottom. These windows have shutters. The back of the church has two similar windows.
The Steeple and Additions
A square steeple with a pointed roof sits near the front of the church. It is also covered with lap board and has openings on each side for air. A small new part was built onto the southeast side of the church. It matches the main building's style. A covered path connects this new part to the church.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church is mostly one big room. In the 1950s, a part of the south end was divided. This created two rooms for Sunday school classes. The way the roof is held up inside is special for southwest Alabama. It uses a single main support beam with metal rods hanging down. These rods are connected to the ceiling beams and other supports.
Over time, the main support beam cracked. So, wooden columns were added underneath to help hold it up. The original walls were made of lath and plaster, but these have been replaced with drywall. However, the original floor, made of strong heart pine wood, is still there.
Images for kids
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The church in August 2009
