OUR HISTORY

In the mid to late 1800's children walked through the woods to attend White School, which was 
located on the Bill Briggs property on the southwest corner of what are now known as Betts Road 
(State Route 257) and Keyes Road.  Since there was no church nearby, Sunday School was held in 
the school building on Sundays, with preaching when a preacher could be obtained.  The changing 
preachers were generally of different denominations.  The people were interested in being able to 
attend preaching and did not worry about the denomination of the preacher.  Thus, from the 
1800"s, traditions were being established for Highland Chapel Union Church, as it is known today.

In 1888 the one room White School was put on a wagon pulled by four mules and a yoke of oxen, 
and moved to the Davidson property on the northwest corner of Greer Road and Betts Road.  It was 
meet here.

The first church building, called Oak Dell, was constructed on O'Bryan Avenue around 1890.  It 
burned in 1904.  The first church had a bell and stained glass windows.  The clapper from the bell is 
believed to be the extra clapper in the bell tower of the present church building.  After the original 
building burned, services were held in ten-pin alley and also in the railroad depot, where the old fire 
hall now stands.  A section house was located where the present church is and was lived in by the 
Nunally family.  The railroad tunnel was completed in 1905.   The Nunally house was torn down to 
make room for the new church building, which was constructed in 1906.  The name of the church 
was changed from Oak Dell to Highland Chapel Union Church in 1920.