Brevard’s Chapel News
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Brevard’s Chapel Church: More than just a church
January 14, 2026, 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
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‘Don’t erase me.’ 150-year-old Black church in NC threatened with demolition
June 24, 2025, The Charlotte Observer published the feature, ‘Don’t erase me.’ 150-year-old Black church in NC threatened with demolition, by Damenica Ellis, sharing the efforts to preserve Brevard’s Chapel, highlighting the church’s place in local history as one of the state’s oldest Black congregations, and the ongoing work to safeguard its future.
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Saving Brevard's Chapel: A Historic African American Church in Peril
Mar 19, 2025, History documentarian, Frederick Murphy, with HistoryBeforeUs.com, presents “Saving Brevard’s Chapel: A Historic African American Church in Peril,” sharing the initial exploration of Brevard’s Chapel.
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Preserving a History of Faith
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Determining the Future of Brevard's Chapel
Lake Norman Publication’s Michelle Bernard’s documentation of the preservation efforts for Brevard’s Chapel has been greatly appreciated.
March 12, 2025: Local Entities Rally to Preserve Brevard’s Chapel UMC
March 20, 2025: OPINION: Brevard Chapel UMC preservation is the right move
April 23, 2025: Brevard’s Chapel: Opportunity to contribute to its future
November 20, 2025: Additional Support is Needed to Save Brevard’s Chapel
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Efforts to Save Historic Church
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A Place In Peril
March 6, 2025, Beth Yarbrough, author of Southern Voices wrote “A Place in Peril” regarding the potential demolition of Brevard’s Chapel. Beth is the Founder and President of Lincoln Landmarks, and her efforts to raise awareness and connect HEARTS to this project have been essential.
Resurrecting a Sacred Space
April 16, 2025 Community Update and Community Meeting
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.
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.