GRAHAM — Courts, schools, Elon University, preparation for the American Revolution and Alamance County
itself share their roots at a spot just beyond the tree line at 819 N.
Main St. in Graham, near the sanctuary of Historic Providence Christian
Church.
In 1763, that’s where colonists built a meeting house and church from logs and brick. The site was used as a secret meeting place for strategizing in the months and years leading up to the overthrow of the British government. Later it was used as a school and housed one of the state’s first public libraries. In 1849, when Alamance County broke away from Orange County, those meetings were also held at Providence Church.
Now marking 250 years there, Providence Church is in the midst of a year-long celebration and the Daughters of the American Colonists have donated a historical marker for the site. The Virginia Dare Chapter of the Daughters of the American Colonists will dedicate the marker at a Sept. 20 ceremony.
“We’re not celebrating our building. We’re celebrating the fact that we’re a small congregation in charge of taking care of this site,” said the Rev. Darryl R. Peebles. “There’s probably no other spot around that so much came out of.”
Mary Ann Hepler, with the Virginia Dare Chapter, says churches were more than just places of worship in colonial days.
“They were places people felt safe meeting in secret. Those men were plotting things they could have been put on the nearest tree for,” Hepler said.
That colonial importance helped attract the Daughters of the American Colonists to Historic Providence Christian Church.
Peebles and the congregation have worked to piece together the history of the church and the figures and events that transpired there to create Alamance County as we know it.
Between 1763 and 1776, the meeting house was a church and school. By 1792, it was also being used as a makeshift courthouse, where a judge would travel from Hillsborough to what was then western Orange County to hold district court.
By that time, the church had become part of the Christian denomination, Peebles said. That denomination would found the Providence School, the Graham Institute and, in 1886, Elon College.
By 1850, residents met at Providence Church and voted for a poll tax to create a public library in their new county.
Looking through the church’s meeting minutes from more than 150 years ago was illuminating, he said.
In 1861, church leaders began discussing building a new house of worship on the site. There were no notes for the next four years, as those leaders fought the Civil War.
“I turned a page of the journal and it was 1865 and they were talking about the new building again. There was no mention of the war, not a moment of silence or anything. They picked up right where they left off,” Peebles said.
That building, completed in 1870, is where congregants still gather to worship weekly.
Looking through the church’s meeting minutes from more than 150 years ago was illuminating, he said.
In 1861, church leaders began discussing building a new house of worship on the site. There were no notes for the next four years, as those leaders fought the Civil War.
“I turned a page of the journal and it was 1865 and they were talking about the new building again. There was no mention of the war, not a moment of silence or anything. They picked up right where they left off,” Peebles said.
That building, completed in 1870, is where congregants still gather to worship weekly.
The Daughters of the American Colonists’ national president will attend the Sept. 20 dedication at the church. Other chapters from around North Carolina will also attend. The Daughters of the American Colonists is the third-largest genealogical organization in the country, tracing their roots back to pre-revolution days.
Historic Providence Christian Church will host numerous events celebrating its history in 2013, opening its doors to the public along with city and county leaders, Elon University, schools and families with ancestors buried in the church cemetery.
In 1763, that’s where colonists built a meeting house and church from logs and brick. The site was used as a secret meeting place for strategizing in the months and years leading up to the overthrow of the British government. Later it was used as a school and housed one of the state’s first public libraries. In 1849, when Alamance County broke away from Orange County, those meetings were also held at Providence Church.
Now marking 250 years there, Providence Church is in the midst of a year-long celebration and the Daughters of the American Colonists have donated a historical marker for the site. The Virginia Dare Chapter of the Daughters of the American Colonists will dedicate the marker at a Sept. 20 ceremony.
“We’re not celebrating our building. We’re celebrating the fact that we’re a small congregation in charge of taking care of this site,” said the Rev. Darryl R. Peebles. “There’s probably no other spot around that so much came out of.”
Mary Ann Hepler, with the Virginia Dare Chapter, says churches were more than just places of worship in colonial days.
“They were places people felt safe meeting in secret. Those men were plotting things they could have been put on the nearest tree for,” Hepler said.
That colonial importance helped attract the Daughters of the American Colonists to Historic Providence Christian Church.
Peebles and the congregation have worked to piece together the history of the church and the figures and events that transpired there to create Alamance County as we know it.
Between 1763 and 1776, the meeting house was a church and school. By 1792, it was also being used as a makeshift courthouse, where a judge would travel from Hillsborough to what was then western Orange County to hold district court.
By that time, the church had become part of the Christian denomination, Peebles said. That denomination would found the Providence School, the Graham Institute and, in 1886, Elon College.
By 1850, residents met at Providence Church and voted for a poll tax to create a public library in their new county.
Looking through the church’s meeting minutes from more than 150 years ago was illuminating, he said.
In 1861, church leaders began discussing building a new house of worship on the site. There were no notes for the next four years, as those leaders fought the Civil War.
“I turned a page of the journal and it was 1865 and they were talking about the new building again. There was no mention of the war, not a moment of silence or anything. They picked up right where they left off,” Peebles said.
That building, completed in 1870, is where congregants still gather to worship weekly.
Looking through the church’s meeting minutes from more than 150 years ago was illuminating, he said.
In 1861, church leaders began discussing building a new house of worship on the site. There were no notes for the next four years, as those leaders fought the Civil War.
“I turned a page of the journal and it was 1865 and they were talking about the new building again. There was no mention of the war, not a moment of silence or anything. They picked up right where they left off,” Peebles said.
That building, completed in 1870, is where congregants still gather to worship weekly.
The Daughters of the American Colonists’ national president will attend the Sept. 20 dedication at the church. Other chapters from around North Carolina will also attend. The Daughters of the American Colonists is the third-largest genealogical organization in the country, tracing their roots back to pre-revolution days.
Historic Providence Christian Church will host numerous events celebrating its history in 2013, opening its doors to the public along with city and county leaders, Elon University, schools and families with ancestors buried in the church cemetery.
