The Mount Horeb Historical Society is inviting everyone to join in celebrating the 190th anniversary of the founding of Mount Horeb Baptist Church at its annual Homecoming on Aug. 5.

There will also be a celebration of the 125th anniversary of the current church house. It is the third meeting house built by the members of Mount Horeb Baptist Church, created by some of the settlers of Montgomery and Callaway counties. It is one of nine historic sites in Montgomery County on the National Registry of Historic Places.

In 1980, Mount Horeb Baptist Church received designation as a National Historic Site. It is recognized as a good example of a late 19th-century Missouri one-room meeting house. It is surrounded by wooded hills and plowed fields much as it was when it was built. It serves as a point of demarcation between the 19th and 21st century representing the highest hopes of the original settlers. The church house remains a link to the beliefs, aspirations and lifestyle of the 1800s. Descendants of some of the early families and others who love Mount Horeb care for the building and serve in various ways to maintain it as historically accurate as possible.

The current building, built in 1897, is the third church house. The December 26, 1896 minutes indicates their first frame church house was intact. But by January 23, 1897, something had happened. Oral history said: “The 1859 frame church house had structural problems and under the weight of a deep wet snow a rafter gave way.” On February 27, 1897 the members voted to take down their damaged church and rebuild. Oral history said: “It was taken down and materials re-used for the one standing there today.” The current church is about half the size of the former one, cost $444.13 to build and was dedicated debt free in the fall of 1897.

Billy Garrett got the contract for the first frame church house. Therefore, lumber came from the Garrett Mill, the first steam powered mill in the area. During the recent re-siding project of the 1897 church, it was discovered that the full 3-inch by 3-inch studs came from the previous building. Most of the recycled siding for the recent re-siding was also from Garrett’s Mill.

The 1859 frame church was 40 by 60 feet and replaced the log church house which was in Callaway County. It was about a mile northwest of the current site on a little knoll northwest of Prairie Fork Creek. Prior to the log meeting house, church meetings were at Samuel and Ann (Simpson) Boone’s and the homes of other members. Mount Horeb Baptist Church, organized in 1833, is chronologically the fourth Baptist church in Callaway County and the fifth in Montgomery County.

The very first Baptist church in the area was located west of Loutre Island in Montgomery County. It was organized in 1810 but closed in 1812, when the settlers fled to the forts for their safety. Mount Horeb Baptist Church closed in the 1960s; smaller family sizes, land use changes and poor roads led to its closing. Immediately, a core of members and neighbors began cleaning up the cemetery and preserving the church house. It has taken the support of many individuals throughout the years to preserve and maintain this historic site. The cemetery and the church house are separate non-profit organizations.

On display this year for the first time is a scanned copy of the 1833-1914 church minutes. The handwritten 1833-1914 church records are housed in the Baptist History Library at William Jewell College in Liberty. For years, research was done from a typed copy. Now, we can see the handwritten minutes and tolls. The Historic Mount Horeb Baptist Church will be open on Aug. 5.

The church is located about five miles southwest of Mineola on the corner of Mount Horeb Church Road and Prairie Fork Road. The celebration will be in the picnic area among the shade trees. Arrive about 11 a.m. and bring food to share for the potluck dinner, which starts at noon. There will be a five-gallon bucket of FFA ice cream available at the event.
At 1 p.m., a Southern gospel group called 4 The Gospel Quartet will perform. A short annual business meeting will follow the concert.