Walker Top Baptist homecoming on Sunday

Walker Top Baptist Church is hosting its annual homecoming Sunday, July 27, beginning at 11 a.m. This will be the 88th year in a row that the reunion has been held.

The church, at 7442 Burkemont Road, was built out of logs in 1845 and is the oldest survivor of the original log structure still being used for annual church services each year.

Pastor Rodney Walker from Florida will hold the service at 11 am. Rudy’s Bluegrass Revue will provide mountain Gospel music this year. All relatives and nonrelatives are welcome. Bring your covered dish and join them as they celebrate and uplift Jesus on the mountain.

The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on Aug. 1, 2024.

Here’s some information about its historical significance:

Construction and use: The church was built in 1845 and is a one-room log church located on Walker Top Mountain in Burke County. It was built by Joseph Alexander Walker and served as both a church and a school for the local community.

Architectural significance: Walker Top Baptist Church is considered historically significant under National Register Criterion C in the area of Architecture due to its being a rare surviving example of a one-room, log church, a building type once common in the area.

Community Importance: The church is historically connected to the Deal and Walker families who donated the land and supported the church. Annual homecomings are still held at the church, and it’s been the site of reunions for Civil War veterans and the Walker family.

Integrity: While some repairs and replacements have occurred over time, the building is noted to retain its historic integrity, including its location, setting, materials, design, workmanship, association, and feeling.

The church and property were donated by Joseph A. Walker, who was the founder. The filing of the historic register application was done by a young girl from Greensboro. Ivy Bridges, who was 15 at the time of this project, is the granddaughter of Eddie C. Bridges, who was born and raised in Morganton,

“It was a privilege to come alongside my extended family to help them complete the process of getting the church added to the National Register,” Ivy said. “They have been working on this for a long time, and it is very well deserved.”

Sarah Woodard, Deans Eatmen, and Dr. Darin J. Waters, from the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, all worked alongside the Bridges family while completing the application process. Ivy would like to give a special thank you to her cousins, Mark Elton Walker and Ralph Adlophus Walker, of Morganton.

State Sen. Warren Daniel and State Rep. Hugh Blackwell assisted in negotiations with South Mountains State Park representatives for cutting back trees to provide a firebreak from the church and the picnic area, as well as negotiating the use of adjacent land for church services. Blackwell’s assistant, Isaiah Garner, helped bring closure with finalizing documents.