Olin Baptist Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and here's how I'm gonna pass it along to you. Back in 1878, five charter members got together in Hamilton County and founded themselves a church. Just five people.

But they weren't short on ambition, and they weren't short on names, either. That church started life as Kings Chapel. Then somewhere along the way it picked up another one: Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church.

And if that wasn't enough, folks also called it Dry Fork Church. Three names for one congregation. Whether that caused confusion or just gave people something to talk about on Sunday afternoons, well, the marker doesn't say.

But the story wasn't done changing just yet. Come 1899, the church deacons went out and purchased land right at this very site. Put down roots, literally.

And then the community got something that made things official in a whole different way: a post office. When that post office was granted under the name Olin, the church looked around, took stock of its situation, and became Olin Baptist Church. The name that stuck.

Now think about that for a second. Five people in 1878, a plot of land in 1899, and a post office that finally settled the question of what to call the place. From Kings Chapel to Pleasant Hill to Dry Fork to Olin, this church has been serving its community for well over a century, offering worship and educational programs, and reaching out through both domestic and foreign missionary endeavors.

Five charter members planted something in Hamilton County that outlasted every one of its own names along the way.

What the marker says

Founded in 1878 by five charter members, this church originally was named Kings Chapel. It was also known as Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church and as Dry Fork Church. The church deacons purchased land at this site in 1899, and when a post office for the community was granted under the name Olin, the church was renamed Olin Baptist Church. Serving the community for well over a century, this church has offered a variety of worship and educational programs and has supported both domestic and foreign missionary endeavors.