EPISCOPALIANS OPEN THE TOWN'S FIRST CHURCH

The few Episcopalians living in Pulaski County in the 1870's were determined to establish a church. Episcopal churches were built in the community of New River and at Dublin - but these churches survived only a few years. The Episcopalians would gather in the homes of fellow Episcopalians for worship. In 1875, a charter for an Episcopal Church was obtained from the Diocese of Virginia.

In 1879 Robert D. Martin, a Presbyterian, (and an ancestor of our Sr. Warden Lydia Hickam), gave land at Martin's Tank (present day Pulaski) on which to build an Episcopal Church. The church, then known as Macgill Memorial Chapel, was built on the old Draper's Valley Road which crossed Draper's Mountain. In time the road became Valley Street in Pulaski. The old church, since remodeled as a residence, still stands there, but bears little resemblance to the original church.

The Episcopal Church came into being at Martin's Tank as a sort of ecumenical movement. The land for the church was given by a Presbyterian and the original six trustees of the church included two Episcopalians, three Presbyterians, and one Methodist. They were James Macgill and R.M. Patterson, Episcopalians; John S Draper, Sr.; L.S. Calfee and William T. Hart, Presbyterians, and J.B. Caddell, a Methodist.

For some years the old church remained the only church in the village and was used by all denominations. Everyone attended services at Macgill Memorial Chapel, hearing ministers of different denominations. It made little difference whose Order Of Worship was used.

The congregation grew - and in 1879 completed building a handsome church on Sixth Street N.W. in Pulaski. The building was never used for services. The Saturday before the first service was to be held the new church was destroyed by fire. The loss of the church was a blow not only to the congregation but also to the whole town. The cause of the blaze was never definitively determined.

The never-say-die congregation continued to worship in their little church on Valley Street and looked forward to again having a new church building. The growing congregation remained active - and in September, 1908, the cornerstone of the present Christ Church was laid.

Excerpted from "History of Pulaski Parish 1875-1975" by Elizabeth B. Bonham