A Gothic Revival brick church in Palestine, Texas, organized by freedmen in the early 1870s and the third oldest AME congregation in the state.
At a glance
Mount Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church stands at 913 East Calhoun Street in Palestine, Texas. The current brick building, with Gothic Revival details, dates from 1921. It replaced an 1885 wood-frame structure on the same 2.2-acre site.
History
The congregation was organized by freedmen in the early 1870s. It is the third oldest AME church in Texas. The members first worshiped in a church shared with Missionary Baptist Church.
In 1878 the church bought land at its present location. A wood-frame structure went up in 1885. That building was razed in 1921 to make way for the brick church seen today.
Mount Vernon introduced Palestine to integrated low-income apartment housing. In 1968 a 100-unit project was erected at 2020 Sterne Avenue. The church was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1986 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
What you see
The 1921 building is brick with Gothic Revival details. Its two front bell towers are typical of AME faith-based churches of the 1920s.
Cultural significance
The building closed in 2014 due to serious disrepair, and the congregation moved to another nearby church. In 2015 Preservation Texas placed Mount Vernon on its Most Endangered Places list. Restoration efforts followed, supported by grants from the Texas Historical Commission and Preservation Texas, along with local matching funds.
Key facts
- Country: United States
- City: Palestine, Texas
- Coordinates: 31.7681, -95.6228
- Status: Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (1986); National Register of Historic Places (1988)
Practical information & getting there
The church building is closed. It stands at 913 East Calhoun Street in Palestine, Texas.
Sources & resources
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