Holly Springs United Methodist Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about Holly Springs United Methodist Church, out in Van Zandt County. Now, ten miles southeast of Canton, there's a church that's been holdin' steady for over a hundred and sixty years. That alone ought to stop you right there on the road.

The Holly Springs United Methodist Church was organized in 1852, and from the very start, the name told you something about the place. Holly trees, native ones, growing wild. Fresh water springs bubbling up near the original site.

That original site sat two miles west of where the church stands today, and what they built there was modest by any measure. A small board building, serving double duty as church and school both, while the members leaned on community living and farming to get by. Nothing fancy.

Just people and a building and the land around them. And yet, that little board structure made Holly Springs one of the oldest churches of any denomination in the entire area. Let that sink in.

Of any denomination. In 1859, the congregation made a decision. They were movin'.

Two miles east to the present location, and friend, they haven't left since. What started as a small community gathering around some holly trees and a spring has kept right on being, as the marker puts it, an influential spiritual beacon in the community. Over a hundred and sixty years of Sunday mornings, and still going.

Some things in Texas, you just don't move twice.

What the marker says

HOLLY SPRINGS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CANTON IN VAN ZANDT COUNTY, THE HOLLY SPRINGS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 160 YEARS. THE CHURCH WAS ORGANIZED IN 1852 AND IS NAMED FOR THE NATIVE HOLLY TREES AND FRESH WATER SPRINGS NEAR THE ORIGINAL SITE OF THE CHURCH, TWO MILES WEST OF THE CURRENT LOCATION. THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE WAS A SMALL BOARD BUILDING USED FOR BOTH CHURCH AND SCHOOL WHERE MEMBERS RELIED ON COMMUNITY LIVING AND FARMING. IT IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CHURCHES OF ANY DENOMINATION IN THE AREA. IN 1859, MEMBERS DECIDED TO MOVE TO THE PRESENT LOCATION, WHERE IT CONTINUES TO BE AN INFLUENTIAL SPIRITUAL BEACON IN THE COMMUNITY. (2014)