The Mount Comfort Presbyterian Church, 3816 West Mount Comfort Road, Fayetteville, celebrates the 190th anniversary of the church. In 1828, William D. Cunningham staked off a seven-acre tract of his land to be used for a church, which was named the Mount Comfort Cumberland Presbyterian Church after the Mount Comfort Church congregation members had left in Tennessee. The Rev. Robert Buchanan and the Rev. Andrew Buchanan were chosen by the denomination as the church leaders two years later.
The first church was built of logs, with split logs for the benches. Some settlers built cabins in a square around the church. A female academy was started in the church, and Far West Seminary for men established in some of the surrounding cabins. In 1840, a new brick church was built with bricks made locally. But during the Civil War this church was burned to the ground, and bricks were hauled to Fayetteville to be used as fortifications near the railroad depot. The present building was built in 1874 and has been renovated several times since.
In 1908, Mt. Comfort joined the Presbyterian Church USA.
A special worship service is planned at 11 a.m. Sunday, and lunch served at noon. Public tours of buildings and grounds -- which include Mt. Comfort Community Gardens with artifacts from University of Arkansas Archeological dig in 1991 -- run from 1 to 3 p.m.
Information: 442-0259.
NAN Religion on 05/26/2018