Brevard’s Chapel News
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Initial Exploration of Brevard's Chapel
History documentarian, Frederick Murphy, with HistoryBeforeUs.com shares the initial exploration of Brevard’s Chapel.
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The Future of Brevard's Chapel
Lake Norman Publication’s documentation of the preservation efforts for Brevard’s Chapel are greatly appreciated.
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Efforts to Save Historic Church
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A Place In Peril
Beth Yarbrough, author of Southern Voices wrote “A Place in Peril” regarding the potential demolition of Brevard’s Chapel in a recent post. HEARTS and other preservation collaborators are grateful that UMC’s plans of demolition have been paused and that a reassessment of preservation is being considered.
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Preserving a History of Faith
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Brevard’s Chapel Church: More than just a church
Lake Norman Publications published a feature titled “Brevard’s Chapel Church: More than just a church,” highlighting the historical and cultural significance of Brevard’s Chapel and the community’s efforts to preserve it. HEARTS Collaborative and preservation partners appreciate the spotlight on the chapel’s legacy and resilience and remain encouraged that media coverage continues to draw attention to this important landmark
Project Updates & Milestones
7-3-25 Update:
We are delighted to report positive progress in the preservation and rehabilitation plans for historic Brevard's Chapel in Denver. Today's meeting with Wesley Development brought us closer to realizing our vision for a vibrant new chapter for this special historic place. Thank you for your continued support; we will share updates as they become available.
We are thrilled and thankful for the approval from the United Methodist Church Trustees for our restoration and rehabilitation plans, which will permanently preserve and share historic Brevard's Chapel in Denver, NC. We have an incredible collaboration of organizations working together to turn this vision into reality. Thank you, Lincoln Landmarks, Lincoln County Historical Association, Preservation North Carolina, Preserve Mecklenburg, Inc., Lincoln County Historic Preservation Commission, and the UMC; together with HEARTS Collaborative, we are preserving the past, connecting the history, and sharing it for the future.
Photo courtesy of HEARTS Collaborative
See below for HEARTS’ past steps towards preservation for the
Brevard’s Chapel Restoration Project
Resurrecting a Sacred Space
The future of Denver, NC’s historic Brevard’s Chapel is looking much brighter since preservation groups and the United Methodist Church joined forces to reassess the potential for the chapel’s preservation. With a brief timeline, the team quickly got to work determining the structural integrity of the building and the condition of the surviving original building materials.
Inspections have found strong structural integrity, and initial interior demolition has revealed the chapel’s original walls and vaulted ceiling, both made of heartpine tongue and groove wood siding. With a structural engineer endorsement, as well as from construction professionals and the State Historic Preservation Office, the hope is to proceed with the restoration and rehabilitation of the chapel and additions.
HEARTS president, Abigail Jennings, interviewed at Brevard’s Chapel for an article in the Charlotte Observer by Daminica Ellis. Read the full story HERE. Photograph by Khadejeh Nikouyeh.
The next steps in the feasibility process are to specifically define the construction details, learn more from community connections, and develop a funding and future sustainability plan. Additional demolition is needed to determine an accurate budget and scope of work for the chapel’s restoration and rehabilitation. The team is also seeking local connections to learn more about the chapel’s history and input from the local community on future uses. The preservation team is seeking members of past congregations and descendants of those who built the church with stories to share to help preserve the full history of the church from the 1870s through the 21st century. “For 150 years, this chapel was a house of worship and community. Special milestone celebrations, weddings, funerals, and more happened at this special place. We hope to preserve this important ephemeral history, and any past photographs will also be invaluable during the restoration process,” said Abigail Jennings of HEARTS. A community meeting has been organized for April 28, 2025. For more information, email abigail@heartscircle.org.
Photo courtesy of HEARTS.
HEARTS greatly appreciates the outpouring of support from the community and will continue to update this page with new information as it becomes available.
Please help HEARTS and our collaborators save this special place!
Above: February 2025 press release from the United Methodist Church on the plans to demolish the church for the new memorial. As of August 2025, this plan is now on pause to allow fundraising for permanent preservation of Brevard’s Chapel.
Photo courtesy of the Catawba Valley District of the United Methodist Church.
A four page feature on Brevard Chapel in the book Legacy of Faith - Rural Methodist Churches in North Carolina authored by Laura A.W. Phillips with photography by Tim Buchman and published by the Duke Endowment.