Sunny Dell Missionary Baptist Church
Colmesneil, Tyler County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This church was organized on April 22, 1882, by pioneer settlers of the Sunny Dell community, a prosperous farming settlement of early Tyler County. Led by the Rev. Arnold Rhodes, the congregation had 14 charter members. James Sturrock donated land for the sanctuary. A leading church in the region for many years, the congregation declined as the area's population decreased. Services were discontinued in 1955, but homecomings are held here annually. Descendants of early members continue to live in the area and many have served as leaders of Tyler County. (1982)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Organized on April 22, 1882, by the pioneer families of the prosperous Sunny Dell farming settlement, this church began with fourteen charter members under the Rev. Arnold Rhodes, on land donated by James Sturrock. For many years it was a leading congregation in early Tyler County, but as the surrounding population thinned the church declined and discontinued regular services in 1955. Descendants still gather here each year for a homecoming.
Why it matters
The church's long arc from thriving settlement to annual homecoming mirrors the ebb of rural East Texas communities and the ties that keep their descendants connected to home.
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Related people
- · Arnold Rhodes
- · James Sturrock
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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