Pine Torch Church

Pine Torch Church. . In the early 1800s, settlers of Scots-Irish and Indian ancestry begin moving into this area. These mountain people homesteaded small tracts of property on public domain lands of poor sandy soil and rugged terrain. According to tradition, the old church was built as a house of worship for the local community which by 1915 was known as Europe. England, Bolan, Payne, and Nicholson families moved the building here from Holmes Chapel. The church consisted of one room 24 by 27 feet logs hand-hewn by Bud Holmes, Josh England, Jim Nicholson, Dick Payne and others. The original floor was made of hand-hewn planks of poplar as wide as 48 inches. Beginning around 1920, the original flooring was stolen over a period of years; therefore, a new floor was built about 1940. The roof was made of hand split wooden shingles, which were later replaced with tin. The first pews were hewn from solid slabs of poplar trees: Pine Torch got its name from the blazing pine knots that were used to light the church services after dark. After services, the pine knots were used to light the way home. Some say the old building was also used as a one-room school. Today, Pine Torch is considered to be the oldest standing structure in Bankhead Forest with decoration day the 4th Sunday in May.