Cove Springs United Methodist Church
Jacksonville, Cherokee County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Begun in December 1856 as the Sand Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, South, this church has been in continuous operation for over 130 years. A parcel of land was purchased at Sand Hill by church trustees, and the congregation continued meeting at that location for several years. In 1879 the church moved to a ten-acre site known as "Camp Ground" about one mile south of this site. A frame sanctuary was soon erected, and a brush arbor was built for worship services during the hot summer months. The one-room church also served as a community school, where children in all grades received instruction from one teacher. In 1911 the church moved to this location. The land was purchased for $25, and another frame sanctuary was built, which served the flourishing congregation until 1955. Construction of a new brick building began in March 1955, with Mrs. John F. Rountree, a charter member of the "Camp Ground", participating in the groundbreaking ceremony. While many rural churches in Texas did not survive hard economic times over the years, this congregation has remained active and continues to be an integral part of the community.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Founded in 1856 as the Sand Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, South, this East Texas congregation has worshipped continuously for well over a century, relocating twice before settling at its present site in 1911. In its early decades the one-room church doubled as the community school and raised a brush arbor for services in the summer heat. Where many rural churches faded in hard times, this one endured, rebuilding in brick in 1955.
Why it matters
The church's long survival traces the resilience of rural community life in Texas, where the meeting house and the schoolhouse were often one and the same.
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Themes & tags
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