Blue Mound Church

Blue Mound Methodist Church

If it weren’t for the highway that passes right by the Blue Mound Church, you’d probably miss it. The community surrounding it only consists of a handful of houses, the small schoolhouse that was once there is long gone. But it wasn’t always this way, what was known as Gordon’s Corner was once a thriving community.

Announcements were made in 1899 that a new Methodist church was to be erected four miles west of Baxter Springs at Gordon’s Corner. It was to have a “ten-foot belfry tower” and was to be known as the “Blue Mound Church.”

Construction on the building started in November 1899 with the ground being staked off for the church and work on the foundation started soon after. Rev. Foster was the pastor of the church that was built of wood. He worked with J.N. Lynch, Geo. Paxon, and Mr. Thomas that made up the building committee to make sure it would be perfect for the congregation. Work moved swiftly with the roof and floor laid by May 1900 and the building enclosed just a few weeks after those milestones.

After its completion, the community held many events to help pay for the building and its contents. For example, an ice cream social was held to help pay for a bible and shades for the window, and a chicken dinner to help pay for the new bell that sit in the belfry.

One of the most popular events held here throughout many years was the Annual Sunday School Association Meeting which was mostly held at the Blue Mound Church. This was a culmination of the Spring Valley, Garden, and Lowell Townships coming together to discuss their schools and teachings.

A huge event was put on in 1926, a speech by Judge Boss of Columbus KS in an address on the subject of “Temperance”. The congregation enjoyed very much this opportunity to hear one of the leading men of this community. At the time the Blue Mound Church was said to be one of the advancing organizations of the community. Other events commonly held here were community meetings, musicals and plays, dinners and suppers, anything to bring the community together.

Blue Mound Pentecostal Church

By the mid-1990’s it became the Blue Mound Pentecostal Church. Although again, as I mentioned in the beginning, this community was diminishing. As the building approached 100 years old one can assume it also probably started having some maintenance issues as well causing it too much to keep up with. Today it sits empty and looks like it originally did other than some slight modifications to the front door.

Gallery Below of Blue Mound Church

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