The chapel in December 2016

It was many years ago now that I first spotted this small church building in Roanoke, Texas. It looked strangely out of place, perched in a narrow wedge with new neighborhoods of large houses on one side and the big multi-lane Northwest Highway (State Highway 114) on the other. I was certain the building must have a story, but for whatever reason I never tried to dig it out. It wasn’t until this week, when I discovered the chapel was being moved from that familiar spot, that I took the time to look for more information.

Northwest Highway, with the chapel off camera to the left

From a Facebook post by the City of Roanoke, Texas Visitor Center & Museum, dated January 29, 2025:

Over the last few days, the community has been buzzing with conversations and curiosity about the historic Methodist church off Lois and 114, which has been relocated (just up the hill).

The “Little White Chapel” Methodist Church, with the oldest photo of the church taken along Rusk Street and dating back to 1915, has been a staple in the Roanoke community for many years. It has been relocated a few times in the church’s history, once in 1986 and again to its present site in 1991. It was called Union Church and has served Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Baptists, and the Church of Christ. They took turns meeting at the church on alternate Sundays until their own churches were built.

The city has begun taking strategic steps to analyze the future of this building. In collaboration with the mayor and city council, staff is actively exploring various avenues to ensure the church’s legacy remains intact. The current plans are to relocate it to our Public Works facility until a permanent home can be found; discussions are ongoing about preserving the building in a way that honors its history — City of Roanoke, Texas Visitor Center & Museum

“Union Church” — Photo credit: City of Roanoke, Texas Visitor Center & Museum

Photo credit: City of Roanoke, Texas Visitor Center & Museum