Photo 219-RMD-5

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This building was the first Big Cove Free Holiness Church. It was originally a Methodist Church which occupied the grounds of the Neal’s Chapel Cemetery, but was later moved a few miles north to become a part of the Vann Hillside School (near Old Big Cove & Worley Drive). My great grandfather, Wiley Bird, and his brother, Eunice, bought the building for $75 and had it moved another mile north to the site of the current Big Cove FHC onto land that was donated by Emmett N. Drake for establishment of the church. This was in the 20’s, though the growing congregation had been meeting in homes and brush arbors since 1914. This building was used for a few years until provisions were made to begin a block church (later torn down in 1997 and sat just in front of the current church). The first church was then moved to the south side of the Emmett Drake homeplace, and was converted to a dwelling house. It was torn down and removed in the early 1990’s. One of my treasures is an old iron nail said to have come out of this building.

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