Wheatland Methodist Church

Duane's take

The official marker tells it this way, and I'm just the one passing it along. Now, out here in Dallas County, there's a church that was already old when your great-great-grandparents were still young. Wheatland Methodist Church.

Founded in 1847, just one year after Texas came into the Union. Let that settle in a moment. The ink on the annexation papers was barely dry, and somebody out here was already gathering folks together and saying, we're building something that lasts.

And last it did. In fact, the story goes that Wheatland Methodist holds the distinction of being the oldest Methodist church west of the Trinity River. West of the Trinity.

That's a lot of Texas to stake a claim on, and this little congregation staked it back in 1847. Now, they didn't stay in one place forever. The church was built on its present site in 1859.

Twelve years in, and they were setting down roots even deeper, planting themselves on ground they meant to keep. And keep it they did. Then came 1912.

By then, the congregation had been holding on for sixty-five years, and they decided it was time the building looked the part. They enlarged it. Added a steeple reaching up toward the sky the way a Methodist steeple ought to.

Put in stained glass windows to color the light coming through on Sunday mornings. A church founded the year after Texas joined the nation, still standing, still marking its ground west of the Trinity. Some things in Texas, you just don't tear down.

What the marker says

Founded in 1847, year after Texas joined the United States. Known as the oldest Methodist church west of Trinity River. Built on present site, 1859. Enlarged building, 1912, adding steeple, stained glass windows. RTHL - 1965