NORTH FORK — The North Fork History Group has a booklet in our archives entitled “History Notes on Grace Community Church.” It was written by Clara Radman, Dorothy Knoch and Rowena Kratzer. It covers a number of subjects but our History Mystery has to do with how the congregation obtained the church building.
Prior to the present church building, services for the congregation were held at the Forest Service Club House, which was rented for $5 per month. A building fund was started in November 1946 and the church was incorporated in 1948.
In 1950 the church purchased a surplus Army chapel that was located in Lodi or Stockton for $1,100. (Both towns were listed as the location in different places of the text.) Mr. & Mrs. John Peck worked for several months to dismantle the building and prepare material to be loaded on a truck for North Fork every Saturday.
The work to reconstruct the church apparently began in late 1950. The pastor and others helped to assemble it. The first service in the building was conducted in April, 1952.
The Mysteries are: Was the chapel located in Lodi or in Stockton? And what was the name of the Army base where it was first located?
If you have any information about the original location of this building, please make your comments below or contact the North Fork History Group at 559-877-2141.
Submitted by Don Grove North Fork History Group
Follow Up on History Mystery #42
We did not receive any comments to our latest history mystery about the Coarsegold Historical Museum. We encourage people to come and visit our museum and see the newly restored Adobe. The museum is located at 31899 Highway 41 in Coarsegold.
http://coarsegoldhistoricalsociety.com/
Karen
