West End Church of Christ

Putnam County, Tennessee's West End church of Christ is located in the Silver Point community in the western portion of the county. Ever since the building's construction in 1915, the congregation has met. The congregation is primarily African-American. The congregation got its start because of the need for Christian education for African-American children. George Phillip Bowser was tasked with carrying this mission out by Sam Womack and Alexander Campbell. In 1909 Bowser established the Putnam County Normal and Industrial Orphanage. The school was located in the Silver Point community. Student tuition ranged from fifty cents to one dollar per month. Along with the school, a newsletter, known as the "Christian Echo," was published and circulated nationwide. In 1918, Bowser resigned from the school due to his frustration with the lack of financial support for the school. He moved to Texas, where he established two Christian schools, and continued to publish the "Christian Echo." Following this announcement Nashville minister David Lipscomb was approached about finding someone to financially support the school. Lipscomb enlisted A.M. Burton to provide this need. The school became known as the Silver Point Christian Institute. Thanks to the spiritual and financial contributions of Lipscomb, Burton, and Marshall Keeble, the Silver Point Christian Institute was able to continue as a school until 1959. The West End church of Christ is the only remaining building from the Silver Point Christian Institute campus. The congregation still meets in the original building. The pulpit has been graced by men such as Marshall Keeble, and David Lipscomb. The congregation is perhaps the most well known, predominantly, African-American Church of Christ congregation in the Upper Cumberland. Many of the members have been buried in the cemetery located behind the building. In 2007 the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, under Criteria A for its religious history. Historic Preservation is alive and well in Silver Point.

At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own a historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, nominations to the Century Farms program, and writing text for historic makers. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.