Our Church History
Chestnut Dale Baptist Church Squirrel Creek, North Carolina
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The year 1903 saw many wonderful events taking place in North
Carolina....from the flight of the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, to the
founding of Chestnut Dale Baptist Church at Squirrel Creek! Although
the founding of a small Baptist church in Western North Carolina may
not have made headlines like man's first flight, still it has had a great
impact on the residents of our community.
Some of the original founders of the church were John Hall, Wes
Holtsclaw, Sylvester Huffman and Elijah Holtsclaw. Descendants of
these men still attend Chestnut Dale today. Chestnut Dale is know as
a "family" church no only because most of the members are related to
each other, but also for the spirit of family which exists among all
members. This spirit can be seen in the many church activities
conducted each year including "Heritage Day". Church members
celebrate "Heritage Day" the second Saturday of October each year
to remember and honor those great Christian individuals that played
such an important role in the founding and growth of the church and
the lives of its members.
The original church building, which stood on the same spot as the
current building, was also used as the local school. This dual service
arrangement served well for twenty-four years. In 1927 a new church
building was constructed on the hill above where the fellowship hall
now stands. The old building continued to serve as the "two teacher"
school until 1933 when the local schools were consolidated.
During the early years of the church, it was not uncommon to see a
horse with children on its back, harnessed to a large log, breaking a
trail through the snow to the church. Many of today's members still
recall hearing about "Sunday Go To Meeting" buggies and surreys
complete with finely groomed horses in polished harnesses being tied
up outside the church while their owners worshipped inside. The
church also served as a center for annual celebrations such as the
"Christmas Tree" where treats were given to everyone. This tradition
still continues today at Chestnut Dale. Music has always been a vital
part of the church. Many singing schools were held here over the
years. Most were taught by Roy Issacs who was known for his ability
to teach "shape note" singing. During the early years, it was a
common sight to see song leaders such as Will Wright, Rufus Johnson
or John Franklin use a tuning fork to get the right key prior to leading
the congregation in song! Many of those wonderful old hymns are still
sung at Chestnut Dale today.
The current church building was constructed in 1943-44 on the site of
the original building. It was built by Frank Hicks who lived less than a
stone's throw away. Frank was a member of Chestnut Dale most of
his life. Many can still remember his distinct tenor voice in the choir.
The current building was enlarged in the 1950's to add four
classrooms. In the mid 1960's the church property underwent a major
change with the construction of the new Squirrel Creek road. The hill
where the second church building was located was graded down and
used for fill on the new road. The resulting open area is where the
parking lot and fellowship hall are now located. The fellowship hall
was constructed in 1985 and sees almost constant use as a meeting
place for church and civic activities.
During its long history, Chestnut Dale has seen many fine preachers
fill its pulpit. Unfortunately, the names of some of the early pastors
are not know. We currently know of twenty-six men that have filled the
position of pastor during our more than 100-year history.
Carolina....from the flight of the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, to the
founding of Chestnut Dale Baptist Church at Squirrel Creek! Although
the founding of a small Baptist church in Western North Carolina may
not have made headlines like man's first flight, still it has had a great
impact on the residents of our community.
Some of the original founders of the church were John Hall, Wes
Holtsclaw, Sylvester Huffman and Elijah Holtsclaw. Descendants of
these men still attend Chestnut Dale today. Chestnut Dale is know as
a "family" church no only because most of the members are related to
each other, but also for the spirit of family which exists among all
members. This spirit can be seen in the many church activities
conducted each year including "Heritage Day". Church members
celebrate "Heritage Day" the second Saturday of October each year
to remember and honor those great Christian individuals that played
such an important role in the founding and growth of the church and
the lives of its members.
The original church building, which stood on the same spot as the
current building, was also used as the local school. This dual service
arrangement served well for twenty-four years. In 1927 a new church
building was constructed on the hill above where the fellowship hall
now stands. The old building continued to serve as the "two teacher"
school until 1933 when the local schools were consolidated.
During the early years of the church, it was not uncommon to see a
horse with children on its back, harnessed to a large log, breaking a
trail through the snow to the church. Many of today's members still
recall hearing about "Sunday Go To Meeting" buggies and surreys
complete with finely groomed horses in polished harnesses being tied
up outside the church while their owners worshipped inside. The
church also served as a center for annual celebrations such as the
"Christmas Tree" where treats were given to everyone. This tradition
still continues today at Chestnut Dale. Music has always been a vital
part of the church. Many singing schools were held here over the
years. Most were taught by Roy Issacs who was known for his ability
to teach "shape note" singing. During the early years, it was a
common sight to see song leaders such as Will Wright, Rufus Johnson
or John Franklin use a tuning fork to get the right key prior to leading
the congregation in song! Many of those wonderful old hymns are still
sung at Chestnut Dale today.
The current church building was constructed in 1943-44 on the site of
the original building. It was built by Frank Hicks who lived less than a
stone's throw away. Frank was a member of Chestnut Dale most of
his life. Many can still remember his distinct tenor voice in the choir.
The current building was enlarged in the 1950's to add four
classrooms. In the mid 1960's the church property underwent a major
change with the construction of the new Squirrel Creek road. The hill
where the second church building was located was graded down and
used for fill on the new road. The resulting open area is where the
parking lot and fellowship hall are now located. The fellowship hall
was constructed in 1985 and sees almost constant use as a meeting
place for church and civic activities.
During its long history, Chestnut Dale has seen many fine preachers
fill its pulpit. Unfortunately, the names of some of the early pastors
are not know. We currently know of twenty-six men that have filled the
position of pastor during our more than 100-year history.
| Pastors - Then and Now |
Rev. Kilgore Rev. Noah Hampton Rev. Vivie Greene Rev. Clayton Brown Rev. Wheeler Rev. Jeff Pyatte Rev. O.C. Daniels Rev. Bud Estep Rev. Vivian Brown Rev. Roby Painter Rev. Dayton Jones Rev. Lloyd Shell Rev. Homer Murdock Rev. Max Smith, Jr. Rev. Wendell Critcher Rev. Arthur Hoilman Rev. Marion Duncan Rev. Jim Lambert Rev. Lloyd Ramsey Rev. Ira Hodge Rev. A.E. Murdock Rev. Finley McCoury Rev. David Vannoy Rev. Larry Parlier Rev. Jerry Burleson Rev. Andy Willis |