Smith's Chapel facts for kids
|
Smith's Chapel
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 29858 Redfield Rd, Niles, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Area | 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) |
| Built | 1840 |
| Built by | James Taylor, W. S. Beswick |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 87002224 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | December 31, 1987 |
Smith's Chapel, also called Smith Chapel, is a very old and important building. It's a historic chapel found at 29858 Redfield Road in Milton Township, Cass County, Michigan. This spot is close to Niles. In 1979, it was named a Michigan State Historic Site. Later, in 1987, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This chapel is the oldest known church building in Cass County. It might even be the oldest in all of southwest Michigan!
Contents
The Story of Smith's Chapel
How the Chapel Began
A man named Cannon Smith was born in 1782. He moved from Delaware and settled in this area in 1829. In 1831, traveling preachers from the Methodist church started holding meetings at his home. This led to the first Methodist church forming in Milton Township in 1839.
Building the Church
In 1840, the church members decided to build a proper church. They hired James Taylor, a carpenter, to construct it. The cost was $1200, which was a lot of money back then! Cannon Smith gave the land for the church. He also gave a lot of money to help build it. Because of his big contributions, the church was named "Smith's Chapel."
Changes Over Time
The land for the cemetery around the chapel was bought in 1872. In 1879, a builder named W. S. Beswick helped remodel the church. The chapel was used regularly for services until 1967. In 1972, Milton Township bought the building.
The chapel had a big restoration in 2008. By 2013, the township still owned the chapel. A non-profit group, Smith Chapel Cemetery Inc., owned the cemetery. People could rent the chapel for weddings and funerals. In November 2018, the township sold the chapel to private citizens. They have also done more restoration work.
What Smith's Chapel Looks Like
Smith's Chapel is a one-story building made of wood. It has a special kind of siding called clapboard. The roof is shaped like a triangle, called a gable roof. It sits on a foundation made of fieldstone.
The chapel is about 40 feet wide and 48 feet long. Inside, there's an 8-foot-wide hallway at the front. The main worship area, called the sanctuary, is about 40 by 40 feet. The front entrance has a gabled roof. Above the entrance, there's a round window called an oculus.
The sides of the chapel have round-arch windows. These windows have wooden frames that look like hoods above them. Behind the chapel, there's a small building with a gable roof. This building is also covered in clapboard siding. It was likely an old outdoor restroom. Near the chapel, there's a cemetery. Most of the grave markers are made of stone, but one is made of zinc.
