Forgotton Churches

Crittenden County has always been plentiful in country churches.  Some have been able to carry on through many years and others have been disbanded.  Reasons not noted, but perhaps lack of membership and interest or members started to going to churches closer to where they lived.  Also fire was a common hazard for these early wooden buildings, once burnt, some were not rebuilt.

Although these churches are no longer active they played an important part in the growth and settlement of our county.  Their spiritual heritage and guidance has been passed on to present generations.  These churches were of the Methodist Faith.

• Meadow Creek: In 1869 there was a good congregation of Methodists at Meadow Creek which was located at the west-side of Highway 60 at the foot of Rosebud Hill.  A cyclone passed through that community March 27, 1890 and destroyed the log building, and it was never rebuilt.  Otho Nunn and W. R. Thurman served as stewards of this church at that time.
• Union:  There was a church known as Union Methodist Church, but it's location is not known.  The Quarterly Conference held in Marion April 9, 1870 reports the Pastor was R. C. Love, and presiding Elder was L. B. Davidson.
• Providence:  The Providence church was located about 1.5 miles West of Crayne on the, then, farm of Tilford Bigham.  There is a deed recorded in Deed Book B, page 193, dated June 11, 1848, for 1.5 acres where this church was built.
• Dry Fork:  This church was located off the road on the Irma-Salem Highway, on Dry Fork Creek.  It was called the Little Brown Church.
• Bethel: Bethel Methodist Church was located near the intersection of Mary Belle Mine Road and Crittenden Springs Road.  The Superintendent of the Sunday School at one time was James A. Moore
• Mount Pleasant:  At one time there was a good congregation of Methodists at Mount Pleasant which was located on the hill back of Crittenden Springs Hotel.  The year it was organized is unknown but it was a thriving church in the 1850's.  In June 19, 1875, John McKerley was elected Sunday School Superintendent of the church.  There is also a small cemetery located on the slope of the hill that was associated with the church, for it was known as Mount Pleasant Cemetery.   No evidence of the old church was found, but it is thought to have been not far from this cemetery.