Gallion church built about 105 years ago

The congregation of St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church are saying goodbye to the structure where they worshiped for over 100 years.

The church, located on County Road 5 in Gallion, will be torn down in the near future, according to congregation member Michele Dill.

The church was organized around 1890 with members meeting in homes and brush arbors. The land to build a church was purchased in August 1913 for $50. In 1900, the church became members of the First Mt. Pleasant Baptist Association when that organization was established.

In 2016, the church was placed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage by the Alabama Historical Commission.

“The St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church is a vital part of the Gallion African-American community,” Dill said. “The church serves as a reminder of the history of the black community in, not only Gallion, but the surrounding areas as well. There are very few black churches that have maintained the architectural structure that St. Luke has, even though the style was very common among the black community when the early black churches were built.”

Dill also said there are several members of the local community who attended school in the building.

(This article originally appeared in the Saturday, September 1 issue of the Demopolis Times.)