Completed and dedicated in June of 1884, the Carlton Cowboy Church AKA Carlton Chapel was served by Methodist circuit riders for its first 40 years of existence. The land for the church was deeded to a group representing the Methodist Episcopal Church by Robert Carlton, a Roman Catholic, the only stipulation being that the little church must always display a cross on its steeple. Various circumstances eventually led to the closing of the church in 1924, with it seeing very little use during the next two decades and falling into a state of disrepair. It is said that, at this time, livestock was known to periodically inhabit the building.
At some point the Methodist Diocese deeded the property to the Florence-Carlton Cemetery Association, which still owns the property, with the proviso that it must remain a church n perpetuity.
The late '40s and early '50s saw occasional services in the building, then, in the fall of 1954, Presbyterian services began on a regular basis, continuing until February, 1962. In 1963 the building was renovated and enlarged, then a series of ministers passed through, culminating in the procurement of a Baptist minister, David Hansen, in 1983, who served for eight years, leaving in April, 1992 for a pulpit in Belgrade, MT. During Hansen's tenure the church changed from Baptist to nondenominational and built a new church on land purchased immediately east of this church. The first services were held in the new church during Christmas of 1988.
Following the opening of the new church, this one either remained open, or was later reopened, today being used for more informal "Cowboy" services, which are held Wednesday evenings at 7 PM.
Architectural Significance
The Florence-Carlton Community Church represents a fine example of a simple, community-built, rural Gothic Revival ecclesiastical building exhibiting characteristic design elements such as vertical, narrow, and pointed features. These features include a steeply pitched roof (topping both the main building and the vestibule), pointed arched windows, and a tall narrow bell tower at the gable ridge. The striking simplicity of design is illustrated by the church’s well-proportioned fenestration, especially in terms of window placement. Three identical two-light windows exhibiting gothic arches grace the north and south elevations accentuating the narrow linear footprint of the building.
The Carlton Church is a one and one-half story, wood frame building. Typical of one-room churches throughout the West, the church is painted white, and has a rectangular footprint with a small vestibule on the front (east) elevation. Wide droplap siding finished with corner boards enclose the exterior walls. Numerous cut-outs and repairs in the original siding indicate the former presence of chimney pipes. As a result of a fire during the early 1980s, the congregation replaced the original siding on the west elevation from the foundation to the bottom of the gable end. Green asphalt shingles cover the steeply pitched gable roof. The boxed eaves run parallel to the angle of the roof, and wide fascia boards wrap up into the gable ends. A small brick chimney straddles the peak of the roof at the west (rear) end of the building. A round, metal chimney protrudes from the top center portion of the north slope. At the east (front) end of the roof ridge rests a cupola on a square base. Rectangular openings on each side are topped with gothic decorations, and reveal the bell hanging within the structure. A simple wooden cross is located at the east end of the cupola’s gable roof. The small one-story rectangular vestibule protrudes from the east elevation. Its steeply-pitched gable roof mirrors the angle of the main roof, and also displays bowed eaves and fascia. A round metal light fixture attached beneath the peak of the vestibule eaves contains a single incandescent floodlight.
Cement board over wood at the base of the building conceals the foundation material. Concrete stoops with metal railings lead to the doors on the east and south elevations. Two-panel wooden double doors lead from the east elevation exterior into the small rectangular vestibule. Colorful stained glass encased by a wooden frame decorate the gothic arch above the double doors,. A painted metal door with false panels provides entry from the west side of the south elevation. Each of the side elevations (north and south) contains three, two-light windows with gothic arches. The lower lights are hoppers. Translucent frosted or patterned glass replaced the original stained-glass glazing in these windows.
From the NRHP Registration Form