Squaw Creek Primitive Baptist Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Squaw Creek Primitive Baptist Church, out in Gillespie County. Now, some stories start with a crowd. This one starts with ten.

Ten charter members, gathered together in 1901, and right there they constituted the Squaw Creek Primitive Baptist Church. Elder S. N.

Redford stepped up as pastor that same year, and he held that post until 1907. Six years of sermons and fellowship, and for a good while, none of it happened under a proper church roof. Services were held in homes, and in the Squaw Creek School, because that's what you did when faith ran ahead of facilities.

That went on until 1911, when the congregation began meeting in the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church building. They didn't own it yet, mind you. They purchased that building in 1924.

New facilities were constructed over time as the congregation's needs grew, one piece at a time, the way communities tend to build things that matter. Out at the rear of the property, a brush arbor rose up to shelter the meetings of the Friendship Association of Primitive Baptists. Now a brush arbor is about as humble as a gathering place gets, open air, shade overhead, and the whole wide Texas sky for a ceiling.

It does the job. Then came the camp meetings. Annual ones at first, and later triennial, kickin' off in 1963 on the third weekend in July.

A tradition set to a calendar, year after year. The Squaw Creek Church keeps on serving the Doss Valley and Primitive Baptists all across the state. Ten members in 1901, and the work is still going.

That's not a small thing.

What the marker says

Squaw Creek Primitive Baptist Church Ten charter members constituted Squaw Creek Primitive Baptist Church in 1901, and elder S. N. Redford served as pastor from 1901 until 1907. Services were held in homes and in the Squaw Creek School until 1911, when members began meeting in the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church building, which they purchased in 1924. New facilities were constructed over time to meet the congregation's needs. A brush arbor at the rear of the property sheltered meetings of the Friendship Association of Primitive Baptists. Annual and, later, triennial camp meetings began in 1963 on the third weekend in July. The Squaw Creek Church continues to serve the Doss Valley and Primitive Baptists across the state. (2002)