Historic Church Marks 123 Years

PRAIRIE GROVE — Cumberland Presbyterian Church was among the places used in and around Prairie Grove during the Civil War. Union soldiers used the facility as a hospital after the December 1863 battle.

The Reverend George Woodliff, pastor of the historic church today, pointed to a document on one of the church walls that tells about the church’s earlier times.

Woodliff said longtime church member, Shirley Goodwin of West Fork, compiled the history of the church recorded on the document. She researched church records to compile the history.

The church was used as winter quarters by the Union soldiers, as well as a hospital, according to the document. Due to loss of lives, soldiers dismantled parts of the church and used the wood for coffins. They burned the church’s remains.

The church that suffered during the Civil War was established in 1831.

The Reverend Andrew “Uncle Buck” Buchanan of Cane Hill organized Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the building also housed the first school in the

Prairie Grove community.

After the Civil War, the congregation made application for reimbursement for the destruction of the first church.

“It took a while for them to get the money,” said Woodliff. “But eventually they got it and used it to buy pews for the church,” adding while some of the current pews are those purchased in 1906 with the reimbursement — he’s not sure which ones they might be because the pews look alike.

Stained glass windows with gothic-style casings surround the church on each side.

“The windows were donated in memory of different family members,” Woodliff said.

The white church standing today at the corner of Buchanan and Kate Smith streets was built in the late 1800s, about the same time Prairie Grove was incorporated, according to Woodliff.

“It was dedicated in 1890, making it 123 years old,” Woodliff said.

The first missionary society of the church was organized in 1892

Woodliff was minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church from 1966-69. He left Prairie Grove to go to Muskogee, Okla., to pastor a church there.

Woodliff was installed as pastor again in November 2012.

“I’m kind of retired,” he smiled. “I came back here, because it is a nice place to be retired.”

The congregation recently put up a new sign that gives the established date of the historic church. Sunday School is at 10 a. m. with worship service at 11 a.m. each Sunday morning.

Woodliff said the church’s congregation had fallen off through the years, in part due to older members passing away and due to the old sign that didn’t have any worship times information on it.

“We’re trying to revitalize the church, I guess you could say,” Woodliff said. “Some people have thought the church was no longer active but it has been through all the years.”

Sonny Hudson, Prairie Grove mayor, said he is Methodist and not familiar with the Cumberland church. “I know it’s been here a long time.”

Hudson said both the First United Methodist Church and Viney Grove Methodist Church have celebrated 100th anniversaries in recent years.

“I’m proud of all our churches,” Hudson said, pointing out Prairie Grove has a lot of different denominations.

PAT HARRIS ENTERPRISE-LEADER As part of an effort to revitalize its ministry, the historic Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Prairie Grove has erected a new sign. The church, located at 202 W. Buchanan St., was established in 1831 by the Rev. Andrew Buchanan. The first church was...

PAT HARRIS ENTERPRISE-LEADER Cumberland Presbyterian Church’s stained glass windows can be seen at the front and both sides of the historic 123-year-old church.