Roberts Chapel (Atlanta, Indiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Roberts Chapel
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Front and western side of the church
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3102 E. 276th St., southwest of Atlanta, Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1847 |
| Architect | Peter Walden; Alf Robbins |
| Architectural style | gable front |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001009 |
| Added to NRHP | September 25, 1996 |
Roberts Chapel is a special church building that welcomes everyone, no matter their specific beliefs. It was first built in 1847 in a place called Roberts Settlement. This settlement was one of the first communities in Indiana where Black pioneer families lived. The main part of the church building you see today was built in 1858. It is located in the countryside near the town of Atlanta, in Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana. Roberts Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
Contents
The Story of Roberts Chapel
Roberts Chapel began as a Methodist church group called Mount Pleasant. This group started in 1838 at Roberts Settlement. Roberts Settlement was a farming community in the countryside of northwestern Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana. Many families in this community had the last name Roberts, which is how the settlement got its name.
Why People Settled Here
Most of the early settlers were free Black people and people of mixed race. They moved to Indiana from another settlement called Beech Settlement. Before that, many of them had come from eastern North Carolina and Virginia. They moved because new laws made life harder for free Black people after an event in 1831. Some families first settled in Ohio before moving further west to Indiana. A few free Black people came with Quaker families from the southern states. Other early settlers had once been enslaved people.
Building the First Church
In 1847, the Methodist church group built a log meetinghouse. This was a simple building made of logs. Elias and Mariah Roberts gave the land for it. The meetinghouse was in the middle of the Roberts neighborhood. It was a very important place for the community. People used it for school, social gatherings, and religious services.
After a short time with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the church group joined the Wesleyan Methodist Connection. This happened in the late 1840s. The main part of the current Roberts Chapel was built in 1858.
Changes Over Time
The population of Roberts Settlement grew and was largest in the late 1800s. Nearly 400 people lived there. However, by 1900, the community started to shrink. By the mid-1920s, fewer than six families remained. As fewer people attended, the church group decided to no longer be part of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. It became a church that welcomed all beliefs, without a specific denomination.
Roberts Settlement is no longer a separate community today. The chapel and its nearby cemetery are some of the only important buildings left. Friends and descendants of the families who once lived there have met at the chapel every year since 1925. These annual reunions help keep the community's history alive. The families also have an association to preserve their heritage. Roberts Chapel was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
What the Chapel Looks Like
The main part of Roberts Chapel has a pointed roof at the front. This part was built in 1858. In 1916, a three-story bell tower was added to the chapel. North of the church is a cemetery. It was first planned in 1831, and the first person was buried there in 1843.
