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| Fulton United Methodist Church - Advance, North Carolina |
This church was organized by John Lowery and Joseph Hanes early in the last century, probably 1800. It was first called Hebron, but later took the name of Fulton from the village where it is location. The first church was a frame building. The present brick church was dedicated in 1888. It was financed by Peasant Hanes, B.F. Hanes and John W. Hanes, grandsons of the original founders of the Hebron Church.
A rare type of stone called Leopard stone was used for the door sills and window sills. This is a cream colored stone with dark green specks. It was a gift from the late Fannie Caldwell Hairston, who owned the Cooleemee Plantation at that time. The stone was found in 1855 and mined on the plantation. The stone was exhibited at the 1906 St. Louis Centennial and won a bronze metal as the most unusual stone. Mr. Peter Hairston, present owner of the plantation, says the scientific name for the stone is Orbicular Gabbro Diorite.
The Cooleemee Plantation adjoined the Fulton lands, and the Hairstons were Episcopalians. Fulton Methodist members let them hold services in the church at Fulton until they built a church of their own at Fork.
In 1986, we were notified that because of its rich history and unusual architecture (Italianate and Gothic Revival style), Fulton Methodist Episcopal Church South had been placed on the National Register of Historic Sites. The old church is only of only five buildings in Davie County to receive that distinction based on its historic architecture. It is the only brick Victorian church in the area. And, the stone work on the church is not found in any other part of the country.
Courtesy of History of Fulton United Methodist Church" (researched and compiled by Charles L. Deal, Church Historian, February, 1991).
Linking to InSPIREd Sunday.
