Falling Springs Presbyterian Church - Glasgow, Virginia - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

The roots of the Falling Spring Presbyterian Church extend far back into colonial times as
Presbyterian ministers brought their ministry to the western Virginia frontier. Beginning in the 1730s it was customary for settlers of the Presbyterian faith in the Rockbridge area to gather in a frontier cabin for religious fellowship. In 1748 a small group south of Lexington formed such a meeting-house, which were the roots of the Falling Spring Church. This group was served by itinerant pastors until 1775, when James McConnell, a graduate of Nassau Hall, now Princeton University, was installed as pastor. A classmate of Mr. McConnell was William Graham, the first President of Liberty Hall Academy, later Washington College and now Washington and Lee University and a strong supported of the colonists’ during the Revolutionary War. In 1782 Hanover Presbytery placed McConnell on the Board of Trustees of Liberty Hall Academy.

In 1854 Rev. William F. Junkin, son of George F. Junkin – then president of then president of Washington College and succeeded by Gen. Robert E. Lee – assumed the pastorate of Falling Spring Church. It was at the beginning of Rev. Junkin’s tenure, in April of 1856, that the church “first took into consideration the idea of looking for property upon which it could build its first parsonage. After an obviously successful search, the Lexington Gazette reported on November 20, 1856 that “the Presbyterian Church at Falling Spring is building a very neat Parsonage about half a mile from the Church, on the road to Fancy Hill, on a very eligible lot of five acres generously presented to the Church, for that purpose, by Messrs. John B. & Wm. F. Poague. The house, which is a handsome cottage of brick, will cost about $3,000, and will, it is supposed, be ready in the spring for its first occupant, the Rev. Wm. F. Junkin, the highly esteemed and popular pastor of the congregation. Reverend Junkin served the congregation until 1867, although his pastorate was interrupted by his service as a private, officer and chaplain in the Confederate Army.

Named after a small waterfall (“Falling Spring”) off Buffalo Creek, the Presbyterian Church and manse currently stand on a small tract of land originally willed in 1786 by Alexander Beggs. The second church building built of stone in 1793 fell to disrepair in the 1860s and the church building committee decided a new brick facility should be erected. The Manse predates the current Presbyterian Church building, which was dedicated in May of 1864.

The Church building is still in service today with services scheduled each Sunday. The adjacent church cemetery is the final resting place for early settlers including a number of Revolutionary War Veterans.

The Falling Springs Presbyterian Church is located at the intersection of Route 780 and Route 789, two-miles southeast of U. S. Route 11.
Source/Credit: (visit link)

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 05/01/1864 Age of Church building determined by?: Cornerstone or plaque If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Presbyterian If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Sunday Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: 11:00 AM Street address of Church: 650 Falling Springs Road Glasgow, Va. United States 24555 If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: Not listed Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
1) A photo of the church is required for visits to a waymark.

2) Please share some comments about your visit.

3) Additional photos are encouraged. If you can have information in addition to that already provided about this church, please share it with us.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.