History of White Hall ChurchÂ
White Hall, situated on the five-million-acre estate allocated for Lord Culpepper, has a historical lineage. Lord Culpepper's son, Lord Fairfax, later acquired the land extending from the Rappahannock to the Potomac Rivers. Before colonists crossed the Blue Ridge in 1716, the land was inhabited by Native Americans, particularly the Shawnee.
The village of White Hall was positioned approximately nine miles from Winchester and five miles from Clear Brook. In October 1796, the Dillon Family transferred one and a half acres to the trustees of the Hopewell Friends (Quakers) on the Lower Ridge. This led to the construction of a schoolhouse utilized for public meetings and weddings. Unfortunately, the building was demolished around 1822.
In 1823, Methodist class meetings, organized by Jacob Bromwell, took place at the Lower Ridge. Lacking a building, the Methodist class gathered on pine logs salvaged from the demolished Quaker schoolhouse. They constructed pews and a pulpit, choosing to "worship God with His heaven as the roof over their heads."
In 1825, the Lower Ridge's land was deeded to the trustees of the Methodist class, and this led to the construction of a church in 1829. It utilized logs from the Quaker schoolhouse, making White Hall Church the oldest continuously used log church in Virginia.
During the Civil War, White Hall served as barracks for the Confederate soldiers. The church, initially a one-room structure with hewn logs, changed over the years. A gallery or balcony for slaves and children, along with four massive pillars and steps, were present and have since been removed.
Sabbath School (Sunday School) was organized in 1854 and the Sunday School Building we know today was built in 1962, replacing classes held in the sanctuary. An iron gate at the entrance was removed and then incorporated into the Wild Wood Chapel which we use during the warmer months.
The church's denominational history includes being a Methodist Episcopal Church in 1866, a Methodist Church in 1936, and part of the North Frederick Circuit with six churches in 1941. The North Frederick Charge was formed in 1962. In 1968, the United Brethren merged with the Methodist church to form the United Methodist Church. As of December 5, 2023, White Hall Church elected to leave the United Methodist Church and become an independent church.