Circuit riders started visiting
the area in the early 1800s. In 1832, Rev. Uriah Whatley was appointed
to serve from “Boeuf River up to Big Creek.” After founding the Boeuf
Prairie congregation in 1833, services were held in private homes.
The church building was constructed
in 1837. The cypress wood and windows were brought up from New Orleans
by steamboat. The church was whitewashed, leading to the nickname
the “White Swan.” In those days the church was the center of parish
activities, holding many of the early parish organizational and business
meetings.
At the time of the organization
of the Louisiana Conference in 1847, the membership contained 141 white
and 100 black members.
In 1898, the interior lattice
and plaster walls were replaced with beaded woodwork walls.
Since Boeuf Prairie was in a
rural area, the pastor typically lived elsewhere in rode in to town … usually
holding services once a month. When Rev. Daniel Barr was appointed
to the circuit in 1913, he held services at Boeuf Prairie twice a month.
Since its earliest days, the church property had actually
been owned by the Bonner family. On June 21, 1916, the church formally
bought the property for $86.
In 1939, the church building
was rotated 180 degrees. It was moved from the west side of the cemetery
to the east side facing eastward towards the recently completed Fort Necessity-Ogden
highway. That same year the church bought the land between the church
and the highway (now used as the parking area) from Henry Buie and sold
him land at the west side of the cemetery.
Led by Mrs. Lee Wooldridge,
fundraising began in 1948 to add Sunday School classrooms. Her husband
got lumber and labor donated from the community over three years.
In 1957, the entrance was modernized. A large social
room was added to the church in 1962 and dedicated the following year.
In 1964, Helen V. Talbert donated property to be used for a parsonage.
The church inherited $20,000 from the estate of long-time member James
M. King (after he passed away at age 112) to use for upkeep of the facilities.
In 1983, the church’s restrooms
were remodeled and carpeting added in the sanctuary.
Source: Sesquicentennial History of Boeuf Prairie Methodist
Church |
