Pilgrim UCC Church Bell Tower - Labadie, MO - Bell Towers on Waymarking.com

County of church: Franklin County
Location of church: 3rd St. & Academy St., Labadie
Phone: (636) 742-4559
Pastor: Christi Tennyson

The tower today, shown in default photo, is a clean square box above the roofline of the church
The tower, as built, (see photo gallery) had a extension above the box and a gold gilded cross above that.
The cross is now displayed next to the church, and the tower lowered to the bell section

"Those first outdoor services, held in early 1917, were led by Pastor J.N. Schuch, of St. Peter’s Church in Washington. Gasoline torches provided the light and a table served as a pulpit.

"Eventually services were moved to the Labadie Hall.

"The minister (accompanied sometimes by the choir from St. Peter’s) arrived in Labadie on the 4 p.m. train and returned to Washington on the 9:30 p.m. train.

"By October 1917, there were 39 people who had shown a desire to establish a new church in Labadie, so the next month, a constitution was adopted.

"When the charter was closed in January 1918, the newly formed Pilgrim Evagelical [sic] Church of Labadie had 71 members.

"A building fund was started in January 1919 using a $100 government bond. A year later, three lots on Academy Hill were purchased for $400; an additional three lots to the north were purchased for another $400.

"The money to purchase all six lots was donated by the Dorcas Society (Women’s Fellowship).

"Church members held numerous fundraisers to increase the building fund. There were bazaars, chicken dinners and ice cream socials. By May 1926, enough funds had been raised and construction began.

"The new church was dedicated Dec. 12, 1926. It is the same church where Pilgrim members gather today for services." ~ eMissourian, Washington, MO - The Missourian, By Karen Cernich, Missourian Feature Writer Aug. 30, 2017