Perryton in Ochiltree County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Gray Community Church
Photographed by Allen Lowrey, August 1, 2020
1. Gray Community Church Marker
Settlers established Gray, Beaver Co., Okla., in the 1900s. Rev. J. W. Duff of Enid, Okla., organized a church in Jan. 1915 and became the first minister. Lumber came from Liberal, Kan., and the Ladies Aid Society raised funds to buy an organ, pews, and carpeting. Revivals and a dedication on Oct. 3, 1915, increased membership from 11 to 122. The Santa Fe Railway built between Gray and Ochiltree, Texas in 1919, creating Perryton. Most houses and buildings were moved by horse and mule teams or steam tractors south to the new townsite. The towns only church remained and for decades was both a viable congregation and an attraction for travelers, with a blue neon cross declaring that Jesus Saves. In 2002, members decided to move the church to Perryton.
Marker is property of the State of Texas
Erected 2015 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 18095.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1915.
Location. 36° 24.641′ N, 100° 48.124′ W. Marker is in Perryton, Texas, in Ochiltree County. It can be reached from U.S. 83. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1200 North Main Street, Perryton TX 79070, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Texas Panhandle. It is also on the American Great Plains and specifically on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Comancherνa, the Dust Bowl, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other
this page online
More about this marker. The marker is in the office of the Museum of the Plains. A dedication and installation of the marker is planned for the summer of 2016.
Regarding Gray Community Church. In 2003, the Gray Community Church was moved to the Museum of The Plains. The church was about to be abandoned because the few existing members could no longer take care of the church.
Photographed by Bill Kirchner, March 16, 2016
2. Gray Community Church Marker
Photographed by Allen Lowrey, August 1, 2020
3. Gray Community Church and Marker
Photographed by Bill Kirchner, March 16, 2016
4. Gray Community Church
Photographed by Bill Kirchner, March 16, 2016
5. Gray Community Church
Credits. This page was last revised on July 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 31, 2016, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,061 times since then and 22 times this year. Last updated on July 11, 2022, by Joe Lotz of Flower Mound, Texas. Photos: 1. submitted on August 2, 2020, by Allen Lowrey of Amarillo, Texas. 2. submitted on March 31, 2016, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 3. submitted on August 2, 2020, by Allen Lowrey of Amarillo, Texas. 4, 5. submitted on March 31, 2016, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
