History of St. James A.M.E. Church
In 1887, St. James was at first Levy's Chapel or Long's Chapel, located in an abandoned street car barn on Biltmore Ave. (then called South Main St.) in Asheville, NC. Two years later, in 1889, the little band was able to move to a building already standing on Hildebrand Street near the intersection with Pine Street (now Martin Luther King Jr. Drive). At this time, the name was changed to St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. P.M. Jordan was the first pastor whose name was part of the church's history. It was probably during his ministry that the church purchased its first bell and installed it in the bell tower.
Several years later, under the pastorate of the Rev. C. H. King, the vacant lot at the corner of the street was purchased by the church.
On this property, a parsonage was built. When the Rev. J. E. Holt came to serve the church in 1917, the members decided to brave a big step: the parsonage was moved back on the lot and the basement of a new church was begun; and the old church was remodeled into an apartment building, the St. James Apartments.
The new St. James Church was completed in 1930 during the pastorate of the Rev. W. F. Rice. Early records indicate that the builder was James Vester Miller, a former slave who also constructed many of the churches and commercial buildings in Asheville. During those years of struggle, there was much “joining of hands” and cooperative “putting shoulders to the wheel” to get the job done.
Some groups and individuals have left their signatures for us to see. The givers of the stained glass windows, the pipes and chimes for the organ, the lighted cross behind the pulpit, etc. are commemorated by plaques throughout the sanctuary. The church also inherited from the Bell family a library, which, because there was no proper and convenient space to house and display the books, highlighted the need for an educational building.
That need was met in a powerful and dramatic way by the construction of the Haith Educational Building, spearheaded and built by the Rev. Lacy T. Haith, then Associate Pastor, and dedicated in 1983. He was willingly assisted by Mr. James H. Walker, another loyal member of
St. James and a Trustee. Both labored for free.
St. James is the only African American Episcopal Church west of Morganton in North Carolina. Served by 36 pastors since its humble beginning, the current pastor is the Rev. Willis M. Camp, III.
Several years later, under the pastorate of the Rev. C. H. King, the vacant lot at the corner of the street was purchased by the church.
On this property, a parsonage was built. When the Rev. J. E. Holt came to serve the church in 1917, the members decided to brave a big step: the parsonage was moved back on the lot and the basement of a new church was begun; and the old church was remodeled into an apartment building, the St. James Apartments.
The new St. James Church was completed in 1930 during the pastorate of the Rev. W. F. Rice. Early records indicate that the builder was James Vester Miller, a former slave who also constructed many of the churches and commercial buildings in Asheville. During those years of struggle, there was much “joining of hands” and cooperative “putting shoulders to the wheel” to get the job done.
Some groups and individuals have left their signatures for us to see. The givers of the stained glass windows, the pipes and chimes for the organ, the lighted cross behind the pulpit, etc. are commemorated by plaques throughout the sanctuary. The church also inherited from the Bell family a library, which, because there was no proper and convenient space to house and display the books, highlighted the need for an educational building.
That need was met in a powerful and dramatic way by the construction of the Haith Educational Building, spearheaded and built by the Rev. Lacy T. Haith, then Associate Pastor, and dedicated in 1983. He was willingly assisted by Mr. James H. Walker, another loyal member of
St. James and a Trustee. Both labored for free.
St. James is the only African American Episcopal Church west of Morganton in North Carolina. Served by 36 pastors since its humble beginning, the current pastor is the Rev. Willis M. Camp, III.