158 - Cross Tracks United Methodist Church - Liberty Hill, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 30° 39.889 W 097° 55.137
14R E 603565 N 3392954
Since our beginning, the church has had four names: Liberty Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, South; Liberty Hill Methodist Church; Liberty Hill United Methodist Church and now, as of August 20, 2016, Cross Tracks Church.
Waymark Code: WMWK5D
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 09/14/2017
Views: 0
Church Website
In 1854, Liberty Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, South was organized in the settlement known as Old Liberty Hill, on Bryson Hill, one and a half miles west of the present church.
Its five charter members were John T. Bryson and wife, Amelia Bryson, their daughter, Hulda Bryson, Anthony Smith and wife Amanda E. Smith. Josiah Whipple and William Monk were among the first Methodist preachers in and about this community.
A one-room log cabin was built in the Bryson pasture, which was used as a church and also as a public school. This building was located just south of a stock tank near the present site of the Liberty Hill Cemetery.
Construction of a two and a half story building was begun in 1870 (site of the current church) on two acres of land donated by Capt. T. S. Snyder, a pioneer cattleman and a son-in-law of John T. Bryson. The Liberty Hill Masonic Lodge was chartered in 1875 and made use of the upper half-story; the second story was used for public school classes and also for Sunday School and worship.
In 1905, the two upper floors were removed, the choir and pulpit space enlarged, and three memorial windows were installed. In 1916, two wings were added to accommodate the growing Sunday School.
In 1985 the United Methodist Church Commission on Archives awarded the Church a plaque designating it "United Methodist Historic Site No. 158."