Historical Marker

Summerfield Methodist Church

Historical marker location:

7078 Tryon Rd, Longview, Texas

( Longview, 7078 Tryon Rd.)

SUMMERFIELD METHODIST CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1869 ON LAND DONATED BY PARSON B.W. BROWN WHO WAS ALSO LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FORMATION OF GREGG COUNTY. NAMED AFTER A CHURCH THE BROWN FAMILY HAD ATTENDED IN ALABAMA, THE CHURCH STANDS AS THE ONLY REMAINING NAMESAKE OF THE PIONEER COMMUNITY KNOWN AS SUMMERFIELD. CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ON A NEW CHURCH WING IN 1952, AND A NEW CHURCH SANCTUARY, EDUCATION WING, AND PARSONAGE WERE BUILT ON THE ORIGINAL SITE BY 1975. THE ORIGINAL BELL REMAINS IN FRONT OF THE PRESENT SANCTUARY. THE CHURCH FORMED ONE OF THE FIRST OFFICIAL WOMAN’S CHURCH SOCIETIES IN THE AREA IN 1937 AND HAS BEEN THE ANCHOR OF THE COMMUNITY SINCE THE MID-19TH CENTURY.