Guide to the Lafayette Street United Methodist Church Collection, 1916-2004
Record Group 010
Published Church history, plus 20 cubic feet of unprocessed (as of May 8, 2015) records, photographs, and artifacts. Includes UMW materials.
Extent: ca. 20 cubic feet
Organizational Sketch: Lafayette Street UMC was founded in 1900 at a pre-game meeting of a baseball team in Dothan. It began at the J. R. Taylor home, then met at Damon's Bar, then built its first sanctuary on South St. Andrews St. By 1909 the congregation moved into its building on East Lafayette St. at South St. Andrews St. in Dothan, AL. Lafayette Street UMC became Greystone Methodist Church and moved into its building at 4401 Fortner St. in March 2011. Dr. Mike Pearson became pastor in 2005. (See http://www.greystonedothan.org/)
Evangelist Bob Jones preached at the original church in 1900, but the most significant growth in membership occurred during the long ministry of Charles "Red" Hildreth, 1947-56. LSUMC created a history committee in the mid-1990s and has since established an archives room under its chair, Mrs. Lorene Gainous. UMC churches are required to send yearly reports from its various sections to the Conference, in this case the Alabama-West Florida Conference. LSUMC falls under the sub unit of the conference called the Dothan District. [Sources: Lafayette Street United Methodist Church: One Hundred Years, 1900-2000 (Dothan, The Church, 2000), and Alabama-West Florida Conference, United Methodist Church website, http://awfumc.org/]
Scope / Content Documents many of the important aspects of the congregation. Accession 010-02-009 contains the church’s 100th anniversary history and a newspaper clipping. Accession 010-12-1012 contains artifacts, photographs and scrapbooks, membership directories, guest books and attendance rosters, church bulletins and newsletters, Board minutes, UMW materials including meeting minutes and newsletters, church office files, and received publications.
Processing Notes: Accession 010-12-1012 is unprocessed as of May 7, 2015. Box level inventory is a rough sort. Order imposed by WA staff.
Provenance: Material gathered by the church history committee over many years.
Preferred Citation: Lafayette Street United Methodist Church Collection, RG010. Wiregrass Archives, Troy University Dothan Campus, Dothan, AL.
Acquisition Method: Gift
INVENTORY
Accession 010-02-009
| 010-02-009-001-001 | Anniversary Book – Lafayette Street United Methodist Church – 100 Years, 1900-2000 |
| 010-02-009-001-002 | Newspaper Clipping – “Lafayette Street UMC Celebrates 100 Years of Faithful Service,” The Progress, The Power, The Observer, June 28, 2001, 8a. |
Accession 010-12-1012, unprocessed: Temporary Box Level Inventory (MAY 2015):
| Box 1 | Banners, plates, candlesticks, trophies |
| Box 2 | Framed photos, with 5 oversized framed photos on top of box |
| Box 3 | Framed photos & award letters, ledgers, guestbook, and planner |
| Box 4 | Church office files 1980s-1990s, includes file “Deed to LSUMC 1916” |
| Box 5 | Church office files – directories 1916-1925 incomplete, newsletters and publications, Reports to Quarterly Conference, Sunday School Policies, church correspondence, lapel pin/tie tacks |
| Box 6 | Office files, mid-1980s (sample file titles… Financial, Sermons, Meeting Minutes, Membership Roll) |
| Box 7 | Church bulletins (bound) 1950-1957, church bulletins (loose) 1944-2004 incomplete, church bulletin for Children’s Church 2003-2004 |
| Box 8 | Periodicals + Large Bible |
| Box 9 | Books, Bibles, AL-West FL Annual Conf. books |
| Box 10 | Church History, guest books, framed Photos, framed certificate, office files, & misc. |
| Box 11 | Directories, slides, photo albums, “Etude” music magazines |
| Box 12 | print block, hymnals, quarterly conference minutes, “Chronicle” newsletter, songbook |
| Box 13 | Church bulletins (bound) 1959-1980 incomplete, Church newsletter “The Chronicle” (bound & unbound) 1970-1974, [Methodist] Manual for Boys & Girls, membership yearbooks |
| Box 14 | framed photos, plaques, hymnals, catechism book, reed organ sheet music, songbook, misc. |
| Box 15 | photo albums, Men’s Bible study, mission trip binder |
| Box 16 | Misc. |
| Box 17-18 | United Methodist Women (UMW): Newsletters, directories, agendas, meeting minutes and event photos, programs & brochures, photo albums/scrapbooks, mission studies, 2 oversized scrapbooks, UMW membership book |
| Box 19-20 | “Firm, Loyal, Active, If Retired” (FLAIR) Photo albums/scrapbooks |
Contact Us
Wiregrass Archives
Troy University Dothan Campus
Everett 128
502 University Dr.
Dothan, AL 36303
Phone: 334-983-6556 x21327
Email: wiregrassarchives@troy.edu