About the Friends
The Friends of Smyth Chapel, Inc. is a non-profit Virginia corporation in Emory, Virginia, with a Board of Directors and many dedicated volunteers and supporters.
We need people like you who are willing to volunteer their services or help by providing donations toward maintaining the building and grounds.
If you are a former member of the Smyth Chapel United Methodist Church, a local resident, a Smyth family descendant, faculty or staff member at Emory & Henry College, someone involved in an organization that would benefit from an inspiring meeting space, a history buff, or someone who is fascinated with the historic buildings in this area, we welcome you to become a Friend, too!
We need people like you who are willing to volunteer their services or help by providing donations toward maintaining the building and grounds.
If you are a former member of the Smyth Chapel United Methodist Church, a local resident, a Smyth family descendant, faculty or staff member at Emory & Henry College, someone involved in an organization that would benefit from an inspiring meeting space, a history buff, or someone who is fascinated with the historic buildings in this area, we welcome you to become a Friend, too!
2024 FOSC Board of Directors
Sally Morgan, President
Sam Cassell, Vice President
Aileen Duffy-Brown, Treasurer
Ginger Addison, Secretary
Bill Dayton, Wendy Dayton, Linda Gray, Brittany Helton, Tammy Martin
Neel Rich, Tom Taylor, Gus Velarde
Neel Rich, Tom Taylor, Gus Velarde
Brief History of Smyth Chapel
• In the 1860s, civic leaders established a log school house and meeting center across the road from the current Smyth Chapel property.
• In 1891, fundraising efforts to build a chapel began. Popular events held included ice cream suppers attended by community members and Emory & Henry students.
• The structure, typical of 19th-century rural church architecture, was built in 1892.
• Circuit-riding Methodist preachers held monthly church services in the early days of the Chapel and Emory & Henry ministerial students would preach at the Chapel as part of their education.
• Attendance declined in the early 2000s and the congregation was disbanded in 2011. The Chapel remained property of the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church, but with disuse the structure suffered and was closed in 2013, declared “abandoned” by the Conference.
• In 2014, the Friends of Smyth Chapel (FOSC) began efforts to gain ownership of the Chapel for the purpose of restoring the historic structure and offering it for community use.
• FOSC became incorporated in 2015 and received tax exempt status in early 2016.
• In July 2016, FOSC was granted ownership of the structure and began raising funds and interest in the project.
• In late summer 2017, the initial restoration phase was begun. This involved repairing and reinforcing the steeple, stabilizing the entire structure, and redoing the electrical wiring. In the second phase, the doors and windows were repaired or replaced.
• In late fall 2019, we began a structure on the back of the chapel to house a kitchen and handicapped-accessible bathrooms and ramp to facilitate use of the structure for events. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a postponement of opening the Chapel in the Spring of 2020.
• We are open to serve the community as an event and gathering space for all types of meetings and celebrations, etc. Please check the Rental page of this website for more information.
• In 1891, fundraising efforts to build a chapel began. Popular events held included ice cream suppers attended by community members and Emory & Henry students.
• The structure, typical of 19th-century rural church architecture, was built in 1892.
• Circuit-riding Methodist preachers held monthly church services in the early days of the Chapel and Emory & Henry ministerial students would preach at the Chapel as part of their education.
• Attendance declined in the early 2000s and the congregation was disbanded in 2011. The Chapel remained property of the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church, but with disuse the structure suffered and was closed in 2013, declared “abandoned” by the Conference.
• In 2014, the Friends of Smyth Chapel (FOSC) began efforts to gain ownership of the Chapel for the purpose of restoring the historic structure and offering it for community use.
• FOSC became incorporated in 2015 and received tax exempt status in early 2016.
• In July 2016, FOSC was granted ownership of the structure and began raising funds and interest in the project.
• In late summer 2017, the initial restoration phase was begun. This involved repairing and reinforcing the steeple, stabilizing the entire structure, and redoing the electrical wiring. In the second phase, the doors and windows were repaired or replaced.
• In late fall 2019, we began a structure on the back of the chapel to house a kitchen and handicapped-accessible bathrooms and ramp to facilitate use of the structure for events. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a postponement of opening the Chapel in the Spring of 2020.
• We are open to serve the community as an event and gathering space for all types of meetings and celebrations, etc. Please check the Rental page of this website for more information.
