Charlotte-area preservation groups aim to save 150-year-old Black church from demolition
One of the oldest Black churches in the Charlotte area is scheduled to be razed, but local preservation organizations are hoping to save the structure from demolition.
Brevard’s Chapel United Methodist Church, located in Denver, was built in the early 1870s, soon after the end of the Civil War. The sanctuary was built by African Americans who previously worshiped at Rock Springs Campground.
According to the campground’s webpage, Black and white families worshiped at the campground during its annual camp meeting revival until 1868.
But the church closed in 2020 due to severe water damage and declining membership. Now, the United Methodist Church plans to tear it down.
Demolition details
Details of the demolition were outlined in a news release from the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, which plans to turn the site into a “living memorial” to honor Black Methodists.
The United Methodist Church tapped Wesley Community Development, a Huntersville-based real estate firm, to lead the project, according to the release.
The firm plans to use some of the architectural accents of the current building to construct a pavilion area, and the original steeple to commemorate the “spiritual life” of Brevard’s Chapel, the release said, but no timetable for the demolition of the property was given.
The site will be turned over to Rock Hill United Methodist Church, located nearby in Stanley, to maintain the property.
Efforts to save the church
HEARTS Collaborative, an organization dedicated to preserving historic sites in North Carolina’s Piedmont region, recently started a petition to support the preservation of Brevard’s Chapel. The petition has more than 500 signatures.
“The chapel is an irreplaceable artifact of African American heritage and the community to which it belongs,” the site says. “The hands that labored in faith and love to build this chapel need the community to help honor their legacy - because once it’s gone, there’s no bringing it back.”
HEARTS Collaborative has experience rehabilitating historic structures.
In summer of 2020, founders Abigail Jennings and Randolph Lewis helped transform Cedar Grove, the 1831 National Register Greek Revival plantation home of James Galbraith Torrance, into a focal point of the Huntersville community, by offering educational and cultural events to highlight the importance of the historic landmark.
Other preservation organizations, such as Lincoln Landmarks, the Lincoln County Historical Association, Preservation North Carolina, Preserve Mecklenburg, are also involved in helping save the church, according to the website.
What’s next?
According to HEARTS Collaborative, the United Methodist Church agreed to pause demolition plans to meet with preservation groups to create a “restoration and sustainability plan” for the church.
This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 1:43 PM.
