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The History of Snowville Christian Church
(Cypress Grove)
Snowville Christian Church was
established in 1833 by Dr. Chester Bullard, brother in law of Asiel Snow,
founder of Snowville. It was the first Christian Church west of the
Alleghany Mountains and was known in religious circles as "The Jerusalem of the
Southwest." After reading some of Alexander Campbell's writings, Dr. Bullard
concluded that they were both preaching the same doctrine. In 1839, when
Dr. Bullard learned that Campbell was to preach in Charlottesville, he rode
horseback to hear him and thereafter joined the Restoration Movement.
Dr. Bullard's home was in Snowville but he traveled far and wide establishing
churches and baptizing thousands of converts. The first church was built
on land belonging to Dr. Bullard and was used until 1864 when the present church
was built on the same site. The property was deeded to the church in 1867.
Some of the earliest ministers of the disciples of Christ Church in Virginia went out from the Snowville Church: W.S. Bullard, F.F. Bullard, G.W. Abel, J.D. Haymaker, W.H. Book, and others.
In 1951, the church was renovated and rededicated. Dr. J. Warren Hastings, pastor of the National City Christian Church in Washington, D.C. and a former student minister of the Snowville church, gave the rededication address.