Lake Toxaway
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Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church, established in 1912, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Prior to the construction of a church, worshippers would meet at an old schoolhouse, forming what they referred to as a community church. Born of humble beginnings the church was built, in 1912, with donated material by volunteers, featuring a six-sided steeple and a tin roof. The structure is primarily the same now as it was back then.
Even without a pastor to call their own, the congregation held Sunday School regularly, while enjoying ministers from a variety of denominations. Back then, because money was scarce, preachers would often receive payment in the form of chickens, eggs, or produce.
In the early days of
the church, a revival was held, sponsored by both Methodist and Baptist
churches in Lake Toxaway. Near the end of the week-long revival,
some people wanted to become members of the Methodist church while
others preferred to join the Baptist church. Consequently two
pastors stood in Lake Toxaway together, one baptizing in the Methodist
faith and the other in the Baptist faith.
According to Winnie
Kropelnicki, whose Grandmother moved to Lake Toxaway in 1922, "I was
baptized with my uncle Paul McKinney, at the same time. He became
a Baptist, and I became a Methodist." By the 1930's, the church
became part of the Methodist Episcopal conference and in the 1960's the
conference became part of the United Methodist Church.
Jane Zetty, a member of the Toxaway Falls Garden Church, took the first of many steps needed by completing the application for the church to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, which was successful in 1994. View the listing for Lake Toxaway Methodist Church on the National Register's Website, located about half-way down the page.
Today, located on Cold
Mountain Road just off highway 281, Lake Toxaway United Methodist church
continues the tradition of a compassionate, caring place of worship.
The Transylvania Times covered Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church back in 1979 and again in 1990. These articles can be viewed online below, or downloaded and printed. These articles have been scanned and converted to an image file.
To download the article and print, right click on the link and select "Save Target As.....". You will then be prompted for place to save the file. Once saved, double click the file to open and read.
Articles:
"Services Begin Again at Lake Toxaway Church" by Keena Lowe, Staff Writer. The Transylvania Times. Thursday, May 24, 1979.
"Lake Toxaway Church May Be Placed on National Register of Historic Places" by Brad Kinney, Staff Writer. The Transylvania Times. Thursday, July 19, 1990.
For more information, to make suggestions, or to contact Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church, send email to info@laketoxawayumc.org