Churches
Churches anchor the communities of Eastern Montgomery County. Some date back to the late 1700s and are still active after more than 200 years and many generations. Church tours have been among the museum's most popular programs.
These images are a small representative sample of our collection. Visit the museum to see all items on display, or contact us about accessing available files.
Lafayette Methodist Church, circa 1920
Piedmond Pentecostal Church in Otey
Construction of White Memorial Methodist Church, Shawsville, 1904
The Jewell Museum in Otey, formerly the Piedmont Methodist Church from 1895 to 1978
First Baptist Church of Elliston. In 1879, Captain Charles Schaeffer, a Baptist minister from Pennsylvania, contracted with local carpenter Joseph Pepper to build the Big Spring Baptist Church (now the First Baptist Church) in Elliston. Plans and money were supplied to Captain Schaeffer by the Friends Freedman’s Association, a group of Quaker philanthropists based in Philadelphia. The church was located, and remains today, on what is now the Brake Road. Captain Schaeffer also founded Christiansburg Institute to educate freed slaves.
Walter Dunlap delivering a speech on the way to Church in Shawsville, circa 1915
White Memorial Church, Shawsville, 1923
First Baptist Church, Shawsville, circa 1900. Also shown are the homes of Belle Moore, Seth Moses (preacher) then Willie Lee and Hazel Bower Epperly, Bill Robinson (father of Taz Robinson), Luther Garnet (mail carrier), and Leonard and Della Early Smith.
Shawsville area church group, 1901. Shown standing in the center are Ida Gardner and Nannny "Nancy" Gardner.
Shawsville Presbyterian Church, circa 1910. The manse next door, built in 1905, is now a residence. The church is no longer standing.
Camp Alta Mons brochure, circa 1960. Started in 1957, the camp, located on Alleghany Spring Road in Shawsville, is run by the United Methodist Church.
Piedmont Church Sunday School, Otey, circa 1904. Families represented in the photo: Jewell, Hensley, Sisson, Hensley, and Shepherd.
