Nine months ago we moved Smirl Chapel to Tate Farms. The oldest chapel in Rockwall County… slated to be torn down so the road upon which it sat could be widened.
If you don’t know the story of how we happened upon it… here you go! Tate Farms was established in 1962 by Evan’s grandfather. It’s one of the last family owned working ranches in Rockwall County. The First Baptist Church of Heath had decided to tear the chapel down a couple of years before we were approached. It wasn’t being used. It was in dire need of repair. And everyone knew… eventually it would be in the way of “progress”. As the date of its demo neared, the Rockwall County Historical Foundation reached out to Evan’s dad and struck up a conversation about the possibility of us moving the chapel to Tate Farms. We have the room, we love history and preservation and we were in need of a building that was fully enclosed to add to the event side of the farm.
On a super cold February morning in 2018, Evan and I stepped inside Smirl Chapel for the first time. The feelings were pretty overwhelming to us. So overwhelming that the story I wrote about it was published in Love What Matters… and can be read HERE.
Needless to say, we made the decision to move the 122 year old chapel to Tate Farms.
It took us almost a year to actually move it. To jump the hurdles of asbestos and roofing and shady contractors and moving companies. There are so many stories within that year. During that time, I went on my first trip to Camp Well. In that 4 days is when the Lord opened my eyes… and heart… to a decision I had fearfully been avoiding… selling my house in Mesquite. With that decision, the help of a few others and some hard hard work from Evan and I… on January 26, 2019… Smirl Chapel was transported 8 miles, in 3 different pieces, over the course of 6 hours… and to it‘s forever home at Tate Farms.
Over the last nine months we have watched it transform into what it is today.
Our goal was to have the chapel renovated and preserved in one year. As we sit at the 90 day mark… 90 days until the one year goal… we have to start questioning whether or not that will happen. We have a number. It’s a big number. But definitely not as big as the number that’s already been spent. So here we are.
Every day I’m amazed by Evan. By his vision… his perseverance… his strength.
I’m believing we will finish this in a year. Will you believe with us? Pray for us? Send ALL your positive vibes and mojo? Tell your friends about our project? Come to our events? Let us know if you can help in any way… electrical, insulation, paint, HVAC… volunteer at our fundraising events. We are open to it all!
Thank you for seeing the vision with us. We can’t wait to share this with everyone.
Happy Sunday friends… the sun is shining, the birds are chirping… I hope it’s a good one for you.
Melissa
