Near Millboro Springs in Bath County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Windy Cove Presbyterian Church

Photographed By Dawn Bowen, July 22, 2007

1. Windy Cove Presbyterian Church Marker

Inscription. Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, seeking freedom of worship and led by the Rev. Alexander Craighead, built a log meetinghouse a mile and a half down the Cowpasture River about 1749. Indians burned it during the French and Indian War. Moving to this site in the cove, named for a nearby limestone “blowing” cave, the congregation erected another log church in 1766. A third log structure, built about 1816, was replaced in 1838 when the prospering community of river planters and upland farmers built the present brick church and session house. A vestibule was added in 1948, and the rear addition in 1959. Windy Cove is the mother church for Presbyterians in Bath and Highland counties.

Erected 1993 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number Q-13 / 148.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. In addition, it is included in the American Presbyterian and Reformed Historic Sites, and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1749.

Location. 38° 0.151′ N, 79° 38.045′ W. Marker is near Millboro Springs, Virginia, in Bath County. Marker is on Virginia Route 39 west of County Route 678, on the right when traveling east

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. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Millboro VA 24460, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Camp Mont Shenandoah (approx. 1.1 miles away); T. C. Walker School (approx. 2.2 miles away); Millboro (approx. 2½ miles away); Fort Dickinson (approx. 2.6 miles away); Bath County / Rockbridge County (approx. 5.4 miles away); Goshen First Aid Crew Inc. (approx. 7.6 miles away); Settlement on Warm Springs Mountain (approx. 7.9 miles away); The Virginia Springs Resorts (approx. 7.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Millboro Springs.

Regarding Windy Cove Presbyterian Church. Windy Cove Presbyterian Church is one of 445 American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Sites registered between 1973 and 2003 by the Presbyterian Historical Society (PHS), headquartered in Philadelphia. Approved sites received a metal plaque featuring John Calvin’s seal and the site’s registry number (PHS marker location unknown).

The following text is taken from the Presbyterian Historical Society website:

Windy Cove, named for a natural cave nearby, is one of the oldest congregations in western Virginia and helped form other congregations west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Rev. Alexander Craighead is said to have
Photographed By Dawn Bowen, July 22, 2007

2. Marker along SR 39
Back of church is in the distance.
organized the church in 1749. The original log meeting house burned and was replaced by a second in 1766 and a third in 1789. Bricks manufactured on the site make up the present building, constructed in 1838. The Session House was also built at this time. The congregation made renovations in 1902 and 1916, and constructed a Sunday school building in 1917.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, May 2, 2010

3. Windy Cove Presbyterian Church Marker

Windy Cove Presbyterian Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dawn Bowen, July 22, 2007

4. Windy Cove Presbyterian Church

In the Graveyard: Joseph Payne (1758–1826) Soldier of the American Revolution image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 23, 2014

5. In the Graveyard: Joseph Payne (1758–1826) Soldier of the American Revolution

Placed by the Rainbow Ridge Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, 1927.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2018. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2007, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,693 times since then and 59 times this year. Last updated on August 20, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 22, 2007, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. 3. submitted on May 4, 2010, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on July 22, 2007, by Dawn Bowen of Fredericksburg, Virginia. 5. submitted on September 27, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.