One Township's Yesterdays Chapter LI  

Poplar Grove M. E. Church

The Culver charge of the Methodist Episcopal Church includes at this time the church at Poplar Grove, located east of the northern most shore of Lake Maxinkuckee, on the Argos road. Poplar Grove is an extremely old church as churches go in this region.

From data which the writer was unable to complete, we may glean a few things of interest concerning Poplar Grove church. MARVIN LOUDEN, being one of the oldest residents on the east side of the lake, was interviewed some time ago. He said that the Poplar Grove edifice was built before the Civil War. Church services were first held in the school house, located just east of the present church.

This original structure, the combination church and school house, was of hewn logs. There were no benches in the building in those early days; that is, no benches as we would expect to find, arranged in rows like the pews of later days. Instead, pegs set in the log walls supported slabs which served as seats for the congregation on the Sabbath and for school children during the week.

Some years afterward (and perhaps some old resident will supply the date), another church edifice was erected. This was of frame construction. It is the same church that we find at Poplar Grove today. At the beginning, it appeared just about as it does now, except for some remodeling, according to Mr. LOUDEN.

This new church was not, however, on its present site. It is the same old building, but it used to stand farther east, close to the old part of the graveyard. It was moved westward and repaired.