Bethel UMC Chapel - Readsville, MO - Cemetery Chapels on Waymarking.com

County of chapel: Callaway County
Location of chapel: MO-D, about 100 yards N. of CR-152, ½ mile N. of Readsville (ghost town)
Church built: 1944
Pastor: Mary Maddox

Interesting place. The chapel is a replacement for a frame church which burnt down in 1943, cemetery since 1867.
The cemetery is off down a gully and rolling steep hills behind the chapel.
Cemetery entrance, built in 1946, is also a memorial for a former church member. These entry/exit columns are on both sides of the church, since the gravel cemetery road is a real big "U".
Graves face east and are in north/south columns.

Memorial Text:

"There is a plaque at Bethel Cemetary [sic], honoring Alma Jackson for donating money to build the entryway to the cemetary [sic]. She is buried with her parents. She was their youngest daughter and enjoyed a career as a stenographer. She also enjoyed world travel, taking cruises to Europe, Bermuda and Cuba." ~ Find-A-Grave

"Bethel Methodist Church is located on the west side of SR D approximately ½ mile north of the Readsville settlement. The large flat lot contains a brick church and a cemetery. A gravel lot is located at the southwest corner of the property and connects to a drive that circles the cemetery. Directly behind (west of) the church building is a modern gambrel roof shed & privy.

"This 1½ story church sits on a full raised basement and faces east onto SR D. Constructed in 1944 and dedicated in 1945, the brick church has a centered entrance with paired doors within a Gothic arch stone surround. The side steeple on the southeast corner of the building is of equal height to the gabled roof. It is crenellated with buttressed corners. A one story frame addition projects slightly from the northeast corner and extends across the north elevation of the church. The addition appears to provide access to the raised basement. Behind the church is a large open cemetery that appears to still be in use for interments. The graves face east and are situated in long north-south running rows. Graves are marked with limestone and granite markers in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors." ~ Rural Churches of Callaway County, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, PDF page 187

1. The waymark coordinates must be personally visited.
2. Give the date and a description of your visit.
3. Post at least one photo taken at the time of your visit.
4. No additional Visit Requirements may be added by the creator of the waymark.