Carved from trees right on this very site stands Butler Memorial Methodist Church. Picture it. The year is 1836. The sounds of saws echo through the air. Local hands shape sturdy timbers. Those timbers would form the walls of what is thought to be the oldest Methodist Church in Wayne County.
Butler Memorial Methodist Church started as the Methodist Episcopal Church of Butler. It is more than just a building. It is a testament to faith and community. The church stands in Butler Center. Its architecture reflects a vernacular Greek Revival style. It stands proudly on its cobblestone foundation. An open belfry sits atop it. It is a simple yet elegant design.
Step inside Butler Memorial Methodist Church. Imagine the original layout. Box pews once lined the floor. Though bench pews were added later, outlines of the original box pews can still be seen. Doors from those old box pews were found in the attic. They are now on display.
Notice the paneled lectern. It is original to the church. Think of all the sermons delivered from that very spot. The rear annex once served as a Sunday school. It even had a kitchen for social gatherings. Now, it houses a collection of Butler artifacts.
Don’t miss the bell tower. It is unique to this church. It sits on a narrow plinth at the front of the roof edge. Delicate double arches adorn each side. Dark painted trefoils add a touch of detail.
The Butler Historical Preservation Society restored the church in 2003. It earned a place on the NYS and National Historical Registers. Today, it operates as the Butler Church Museum.
Take a stroll through the cemetery behind the church museum. Civil War graves mark the final resting places of local heroes. Thomas Armstrong, the first sheriff in Wayne County is also buried here.
Trees were felled on site to build Butler Memorial Methodist Church. These were processed at a local sawmill. That sawmill is still in operation south of here. If you peek under the floor, you can still see some of the tree trunks.
The Butler Church Museum is open the first Saturday of each month from May through September. The Butler Historical Society also operates the Roe Cobblestone Schoolhouse as a museum. Lori Fry Schmidt is the Town of Butler Historian. The Butler Historical Preservation Society formed in 2003. They focused on restoring the Butler Center Methodist Church. Today, the heritage lives on. The Butler Memorial Methodist Church stands as a symbol of community.