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Gum Springs Baptist Church

383 Gum Springs Road
423-336-3871

History :

It was 1851, the United States flag had only 31 stars, President Millard Fillmore was serving as the 13th president, the telegraph was a major means of communication, and there was still 10 years left before the start of the Civil War. And this was the year that a small group of Christians decided to relocate from the Limestone community (Meigs County, TN) to another small community called Gum Springs to start a new Church.

The Church was originally named the Limestone Church of Meigs County, later changed to the White Plains Baptist Church of Bradley County. Public records indicate that the Church was in existence as early as 1843. In 1930, the Church divided, and Eastview Baptist Church was started in its present location. A new sanctuary was constructed in 1960, and the first service was a funeral service for Dock Millaway. In 1991, the old building was replaced by the present structure.

The first pastor mentioned in historical records was A.L. Stulce, who served as pastor from 1875 until 1880. In 1876, the Church had 32 members and was being used as a school and a trading post. Not much else is known about the earlier days of the Church.

The Limestone Church of Meigs County was constituted May 27 and 28, 1843 at the James Johnson farm. The Church first met at John McDowell's farm in Bradley County on the 4th Saturday of June, 1851, and the Church was renamed the White Plains Baptist Church of Bradley County.



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