Barter Theatre (Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church) - Abingdon, Virginia
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UberHOKIE
N 36° 42.640 W 081° 58.488
17S E 412937 N 4063219
The Sinking Spring Cemetery marks the site of the first church building bearing the Sinking Spring name. Built as a log structure in the early 1700's, it was supplanted by a larger building sometime in the 1780's. This continued as the church site until 1831-1833 when the third building was built on Main Street and which building has now become the Barter Theater. The State Theatre of Virginia.
Waymark Code: WM42B6
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 06/27/2008
Views: 35
Later it was sold to "The Sons of Temperance" and was called "Temperance Hall" for many years. Still later it was turned over to the town and has gradually changed into its present state of usefulness both as Barter Theatre. In 1837 the church divided in the "new school - old school" controversy, part remaining at the Barter location and part moving out. The new school group moved and built Sinking spring Presbyterian church at the present location. Rev. James S. McChain was pastor of the new School Denomination which moved. The group that moved built the fourth church structure at what is the present location of this church and dedicated it in 1851. This was the Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church . Built on the lines of the Greek rectangular plan of so many of the Presbyterian churches now found in the Valley of Virginia, it had a lovely, tall steeple over the front entrance. The two churches, weakened by the split of 1837 and the woes of war in 1861-65, were reunited here in a service held April 9, 1865, the same day of the surrender of General Lee to Grant at Appomattox. The Reverend James McChain, a "Yankee" preacher from upstate New York, pastor here from 1843-1869, saw both the new building here in 1851 and the reunification of the church before his death in 1869.
Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1833
Age of Church building determined by?: Church website
If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Presbyterian
Street address of Church:
127 West Main Street
Abingdon, Va USA
24210
Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]
Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]
If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed
If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed
Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed
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