On August 15, 1837, William
and Dicy Day donated 2 acres of land to the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The land was located near Day's home ... bounded on the north by his Spring
Branch, on the east by the road running parallel with the Tickfaw River
to the State Line, and on the south and west by forest. Willam Day
had settled in the area in 1802. A plaque on the church says that
it was organized in 1806.
Tradition says that the area,
known as Day's Camp Ground, had been in use for a number of years before
1837. It was designated as an historic site of Louisiana Methoidsm
in the Bicentennial Year.
One of the trustees in 1837
was William Venables. He had come to the area in the company of Methodist
circuit rider Lorenzo Dow and was a well-known local preacher.
Thomas Gordon Day, grandson
of the Days, donated another 2 acres to the church in 1893 to be used as
a cemetery.
The original church of hand-hewn
lumber was used until 1908. Since membership had grown, a larger
building was needed. The old church continued to function as a community
center and Woodman of the World Hall until it was taken down in the early
1940s. Today's church, built in 1967, is the third building built
by the congregation.
Source: 1987 Commemorative Services booklet |
