Did you know ?

The original plan was to name the new church “Homestead Heights Methodist Church” reflecting the surrounding area. However, Bishop Garber, hearing of the transformation of a dance hall into a church, said it reminded him of the radical change John Wesley experienced at Aldersgate and successfully proposed to call the new church “Aldersgate”.

The original address of Aldersgate was Horton Road and Reade Avenue because Duke Street did not extend that far out at the time!

The next snippet of AUMC history will describe renovations in the early days to transform the cinder block building into a church.

The original Aldersgate Methodist Church (formerly Smith’s Dance Hall) was located at northernmost fringe of Durham and lacked water and sewage. A well was dug largely through rock hitting water at a depth of 138 feet. Digging for a septic tank by men of the church was accomplished at night by the light of kerosene lanterns.

Have you ever heard of a Thacker Whacker? This homemade device, named for its inventor Howard Thacker, was used annually to more safely pound metal poles into the dirt/gravel parking lot of the church with a sledgehammer. Christmas trees for sale were then lashed to the poles with twine. Primitive? Yes; but effective.