Miles, Runnels County
In a small grove of trees beside a deep spring-fed pool known as China Mott, the Methodists of Miles built a tabernacle of willow and brush in 1891, shortly after the birth of Miles itself. Brother Smith, a circuit rider from Navarro County, was their pastor. In 1895, several groups began meeting for worship in a schoolhouse on Baptist Hill. The first small section of a church building was erected on this site in 1901. In that year, the Women's Missionary Society began the fundraising and educational efforts which would make them instrumental in the history of the church. The first religious building in Miles, the Methodist church became a center for public gatherings such as the Christmas celebration of 1903. In 1915 a southern addition, steeple, and bell tower were added onto the building. Ellison Hall was created for Sunday School and community meetings. Destroyed by fire in 1963, the church buildings were replaced with a brick structure by January 1964. With an annual return to China Mott since the late 1980s, a monthly fellowship night (held since the 1930s), youth programs, and community worship, Miles United Methodist Church continues its tradition of service. (1998)