This has been identified locally as the Scienceville Church, and I believe it was an African-American congregation. Scienceville must have been early community in Stewart County, and I’ve since lost a reference I once had stating that there was a plantation at Scienceville before the Civil War. The name didn’t stick around too long because other than the name of the church, it’s lost to history. There was a post office in the community from 1850-1901. In the early 1900s, County Line School and a community house were located nearby. Findagrave notes that a cemetery is located at this property, and identifies the graves of Steven Weathersby (1778-1840) and his son Vincent A. Weathersby (1813-1860). It’s likely that they were the owners of the surrounding land and the plantation.
One more identified grave belongs to Rev. Eddie Smith (1907-1956). Rev. Smith was most likely the pastor of this church, but again, I have no background on any of these people. Eric Korn wrote to say that he had discovered that Rev. Eddie Smith was white.
This building was built in the 1960s or so as a church that was an offshoot of the nearby County Line Baptist Church. It was only in use in the 60s-70s. My great grandparents funerals were held there. It sat empty for a while, then was used as a hunting lodge for a period – I believe that was when it was painted this color.
There may have been another church on the property years before, as I was not aware of a cemetery connected to this church.
County Line School was across the road. The last pieces of it fell in 15 -20 years ago. My Grandparents attended school there.
Unusual color for a church. “‘H’aint blue”? The color often used by African slaves to “ward off evil spirits” (haunts/h’aints)