St. Bartholomew’s Meeting House (Temperance Hall)
Our Temperance Hall Meeting House, located on the grounds of St. Bartholomew’s Church next to the Labyrinth, has an historic and long history with St. Bartholomew’s Church. This property was owned by the Bell family beginning in the 1850’s. The Bell family also owned the farm called Flint Hill II. This farm and house, still standing today, was the location of the first vestry meeting of the newly established St. Bartholomew’s Church in 1812.
Adam Bell was the owner of Flint Hill II farm. His son, Frank Bell, bought the building and lots next door (no longer standing) to Temperance Hall in the 1840’s and opened a blacksmith shop. At that time, he also lived in the old log cabin (previously chapel of ease) located next door to the 1813 church site on Sundown Road. He had a contract with his father to farm the fields surrounding the church. He agreed with the church not to make any disturbances during worship while they rented to him the old, deconsecrated log cabin.
In 1852, a group of five trustees, including Frank Bell (blacksmith) bought the current meeting house and 1/6th acre to create a “Mountain Dew Division of the Sons of Temperance” for their use. The agreement specified that the house would go to the trustee who was deemed the most energetic in their cause. The property eventually went to Frank Bell. In 1901 he sold the property to Uriah and Laura Griffith. In 1936, Laura transferred the property to her two daughters, who in turn sold the house and property, in 1977, to the Vestry of St. Bartholomew’s Church.
This house, over time from the 1840’s to the present-day meeting house, was the home of a blacksmith, a temperance hall, then a doctor’s office, a dwelling, a church thrift store, and now a meeting house. The house is available for community meetings, events, and other church activities.
