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Christian Church Historical Marker Dedication March 31

March 20, 2019 - 00:00
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    Captain James William McCarty, Eagle Lake’s first Mayor and founder of the Eagle Lake Christian Church.

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of three articles by Joe Fling of Eagle Lake discussing the history of Eagle Lake’s historic Christian church in advance of a historical marker dedication at the church Sunday, March 31.

EAGLE LAKE — Living Hope Church, Joe and Mercy Fling Pastors, invite the community to the Texas Historical Marker dedication ceremony for the Eagle Lake Christian Church, Sunday, March 31, at 2 p.m. at the Church sanctuary at the corner of Church Street and North McCarty Avenue in Eagle Lake.

The Christian Church was among the earliest congregations in Eagle Lake. The Christian Church building, from 1888, remains. It is still active today, as Living Hope Church. It is the last of the early historic church buildings in Eagle Lake.

After the Civil War various church congregations, including Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, and Christian Churches emerged in Eagle Lake, and a separate building, the Union Church, was built so that all local denominations could share the meeting space. It was located on the east end of Post Office Street.

You are familiar with the name McCarty, the main north-south street in Eagle Lake bears this name. Captain James William McCarty was the early leader of the Christian Church in Eagle Lake. He was also Eagle Lake’s first mayor and notable businessman. McCarty was born in Virginia and served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. His family moved to Eagle Lake after the war where he became a pillar of the business and church community. He was also the Church Superintendent. McCarty owned a large home fronting on the 100 Block of Stockbridge today, and acres of property near the downtown area. He built the Christian Church on the corner of his own property in 1888, the same year of Eagle Lake’s city incorporation, and deeded the land and building to the congregation in 1902 shortly before his death.

Mrs. Leticia Madeliene McCarty was also active in the church, and was the organist at both the Union Church and the Christian Church. She was the daughter of Judge W.S. Oldham, a member of the Confederate Senate during the Civil War, and a signer of the Texas secession papers. Their sons, Bruce and S.O. McCarty, also Christian Church members, established the Eagle Lake Headlight newspaper, in 1903, which still operates. Bruce McCarty continued for years, as editor.

The church was built with 14 foot eaves. It was heated by stoves, and was topped with an impressive 40-foot church steeple over the entry. The building was constructed of cypress wood, with impressive stained-glass windows. The church was later surrounded by a wrought-iron fence, which was contributed to the World War II effort during the local scrap-metal drive.

The building survives today as Living Hope Church, the 4th congregation to call the historic building home. The original Christian Church building stands proudly as the oldest original historic church building in the town.

The church has hosted a community –wide Vacation Bible School for the past 25 years, that has seen hundreds of children from all denominations and races have fun learning of Christ together.