Methodist Church of Vermontville
Address: 8065 New York Route 3
Other names: Church of the Nazarene
Year built: 1856
Other information: "In 1839, Samuel Smith was brought to the Saranac Mission as a 'circuit-preacher.' He held meetings on various Sundays [in private homes] in Saranac Lake, North Elba, Bloomingdale, Franklin Falls, Union Falls, Merrillsville, Vermontville and West Harrietstown. People came from all over to these meetings — some in boats, some with ox-team and some just plain walking. In 1840 there were about 75 members in the church. With people leaving, it was reduced to about 40.
In 1850 a church was built in Vermontville.
In 1972 Helen Tyler wrote, "The first church was built in 1856 when the Town of Franklin was only 20 years old. (That is the church which has now become, with a large addition, the Church of the Nazarene.)" That transfer took place in about 1954.
According to a booklet produced for the fiftieth anniversary of the Vermontville Church of the Nazarene, reprised by Floyd I. John in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise on August 15, 2011, as "Time travel to 1935," there were 19 charter members. The small church building at their original site [not specified] was sold in 1954, and the congregation bought the larger Methodist Church of Vermontville. Under Pastor Blair McKim, a two-story wing was added to accommodate Sunday School rooms and offices for the growing congregation. During its 75 years, the church has had 23 pastors and hundreds of members. The Diamond Anniversary celebration was to be held on August 21, 2011.
For more detail, see: Town and church celebrations: 175th anniversary for Franklin, 75th for Church of the Nazarene" by Martha Tyler John, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 19, 2011.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 6, 1958
THIS 'N’ THAT
The Town of Franklin will be one hundred years old on May 20 having become a town by the dividing of the town of Bellmont on May 20, 1836.
The first settlement in the town was at Franklins Falls [sic], having been started in 1827, nine years before Franklin became a town. At first the little settlement was called McLenathan Falls, after one of Its early settlers. It was renamed Franklin Falls in 1951. It was once thriving little community, with a saw mill, forge, store, large hotel, school house and at least twenty-three homes. The entire community burned to the ground in May 1852. but was soon rebuilt. It is "scarcely believable today that such a busy little village ever existed there.
Vermontville is, and was, the largest settlement in the town, but just when it was started is uncertain. However, Vermontville's first church was built in 1856, when the town was twenty years old.
The church seems to have been started by a group of Methodists, with the Presbyterians who lived here helping with the building of it. Both groups seem to have worshipped in it when it was finished, either together or singly. The Episcopalians also used it for their services. In fact it was originally planned that any religious group should use it, with the preference given to the Methodists.
After awhile the Episcopalians stopped holding their services there, as they wanted to build a vestry room onto the church, but the Methodists said, "No, we don't want any bedroom built onto our church." So the Episcopalians began holding services in the building where Herbert Fletcher now owns and lives.
The Presbyterians seem to have been a small group and didn't last long. Then the Wesleyan Methodists held services there from 1876 to 1896 or later.
The Union Evangelical Church was incorporated in 1888, being formed apparently, from a combination of the other groups. In 1897 the property was deeded to the Wesleyan Methodists, and ten years later they deeded it to the Methodist Episcopals.
Ever since I came to Vermontville more than forty years ago the church has been painted white outside, but in the beginning it was dark brown. Inside the seats, pulpit and balcony were brown also, but the walls were a little lighter in color.
In those early days the pulpit find speaker's platform were on the end next to the road, with the seats facing the road. Now it is all exactly opposite. Then there was a “high balcony at the rear for the choir. It faced the road the same as the seals. There was a top rail down through the center which divided the men from the women. If you had a beau he would have to fish you out outside."
The church was remodeled about sixty-five years ago. HiramHathaway, of Vermontville had helped build the original church about thirty-five years before that but for some reason always refused to go to church except to for funeral services. But he worked faithfully at remodeling it, and donated his work, as did the many others who helped with the project. His wife made a quilt, and sold one hundred shares on it, ad so raised $25 which she gave toward the expense of remodeling.
Miss Charlotte Williams, from whose letter to Miss Gladys Cass, of Vermontville, I gained part of my information, said, "They had a donation before the new seats were put in, and I remember how new and shiny everything looked."
It was at that time that the pulpit was changed from one end of the building to the other; the seats were turned around; the choir balcony removed; and the top rail down the center was removed. Presumably after that the young lady and her beau could sit together in church, instead of the fishing process having to be carried on outside. It was at that time also that the vestibule was built onto the front, and a belfry was added above, to accommodate the bell that Joseph Merrill,Sr., had donated to the church.
Today, the church is kept in good repair, but the congregation is so small, and transportation being so much easier than formerly, that the people all go to Bloomingdale and worship at the Methodist church there, instead of holding separate services here.
