The Stone Churches of Rev. Bob Childress
Bob Childress (1890-1956) was a Presbyterian minister who brought civility to the Buffalo Mountain area of Floyd-Carroll Counties during the 1920-30's. A man of many talents who could have chosen anywhere for his ministry instead chose the rough backward area of this part of Appalachia to raise his family and live his life. This interesting story is told in the book The Man Who Moved a Mountain by Richard Davids, Fortress Press, First Printing 1970. The book is in its 6th Printing and is still the best seller of all material sold on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sightseers still take the off roads to find and visit the rock churches built by his congregations during his life. In all there were 6 with 5 still remaining Presbyterian to this day. The church at Willis Va. is Baptist now. Bob died in 1956 at 66 years old of overwork and continuously running to serve his rock churches. His home church, Buffalo Mountain Presbyterian, is still served by his son Bryan, in his early eighties. It is a beautiful well preserved facility to be out in the middle of nowhere. The cemetery across from the church contains Bob, family members and many of the mountain people mentioned in the book who helped him succeed in his mission. After reading the book and seeing the tombstones of the major characters one may feel a personal relationship with these people who lived in a different era not so long ago. They were interesting mountain people who lived a life long since vanished. The schoolhouse below the church which Rev. Bob worked so hard to fill with mountain kids is in the process of being restored but needs much help. Walking this area is like walking back in time with little change since the church was built in 1932. One can imagine the mountain people walking and riding horseback on these narrow windy back roads, many of them dirt to the rock churches to hear Rev. Bob teach and preach to them how to live. Also one can imagine Bob in his Model A Ford traveling the rough dirt roads running from church to church Sunday morning to serve his people. He is still remembered by the people of this area although much time has passed. Listed below are some interesting links on this subject plus pictures of the present day churches.
http://www.buffalo-mountain.org Buffalo Mountain Conference Center
Website - with pictures of the past and future of the old school, including
pictures of Bob Childress
http://www.dinwiddiechurch.com/
Dinwiddie Presbyterian Church Website - with good pictures of the church
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Buffalo Mountain Presbyterian Church - Childress' mother church
BBuffalo Mountain Presbyterian Church - right side
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Bluemont Presbyterian Church
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Dinwiddie Presbyterian Church
Slate Mountain Presbyterian Church
Mayberry Presbyterian Church
School House (2004)
Buffalo Church Cemetery overlooking Buffalo Mountain