Old News

From the 3rd floor
of the Webb City Public Library

Carterville had two Methodist churches

Webb City Area Genealogical Society
January 18, 2023

There was a time that Carterville had two Methodist churches, as shown in a portion of the 1925 Sanborn Fire Insurance map.

The St. John’s Methodist Episcopal Church South can be seen on the northeast corner of Kentucky and Main streets, and the M. E. Church North can be seen on the southeast corner of Tennessee and Hall streets.

The wooden-frame M.E. Church North is pictured in the accompanying 1909 real photo postcard from Walt Robertson. It was noted that this church melded with another church in 1944, possibly the M. E. Church South.

The M.E. Church South was constructed in 1891 at a cost of $4,868.00. A bell was purchased the same year and placed in the bell tower of the building. It would toll for church services, weddings and funerals until the bell tower was destroyed by a lightning strike sometime around 1930. The beautiful stained glass windows that can still be viewed today were installed during the 1910s.

The bell tower can be seen in a photograph that was contributed to the genealogy society by Sharon Carter Connor.

This 1892 Sanborn Fire Insurance map shows the original wood-frame St. John’s M.E. South Church. It is in the middle of the current Carterville United Methodist Church, on the northeast corner of Main and Kentucky (Wilson) streets.

Both the North and South Methodist churches are on this 1925 Sanborn map. M.E. Church North is top right. M.E. Church South is bottom left.

This 1955 photo was likely taken during vacation Bible school by the current Carterville United Methodist Church.

Sentinel bound volumes are now in the Genealogy Room

The WCAGS has accepted ownership of the complete collection of bound volumes of the Webb City Sentinel, from 1983 (after the fire) until the final issue on Dec. 30, 2020.

Those issues can also be viewed on microfilm, along with much older issues.

Webb City Area Genealogical Society

WCAGS members staff the Genealogy Room on the third floor of the Webb City Public Library. Current hours are noon to 4 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month in the Genealogy Room.

Everything you want to know about Jasper County Missouri Schools is available at a site compiled by Webb City Area Genealogical Society member Kathy Sidenstricker.

Carterville United Methodist Church, at Main and Kentucky streets, looked like this before its bell tower was removed. The congregation was originally known as St. John’s M.E. Church South. (Sharon Carter Connor)

M.E. Church North was nearby, on the southeast corner of Tennessee and Hall streets. (1909 real postcard contributed by Walt Robertson)