Wesley Chapel

The Wesley Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal building was constructed in 1916 in the heart of Corsicana’s historically Black East Side Community. Wesley Chapel operated as a C.M.E. church until 1994, with its membership height occurring in the 1950s and 60s. The building later served as Temple #330 of Church of the Living God Christian Workers Fellowship. In 2023, Meetinghouse Revival, a nonprofit organization founded to preserve Black history by restoring and repurposing Black churches, took ownership with plans to rehabilitate the building as a community arts venue.

Grant Award From Preservation Texas: $75,000
Matching Funds From Meetinghouse Revival: $25,000
Funds Needed to Raise: $80,000

The grant funding will enable the removal and cataloging of dozens of stained glass windows, repairing and replacing compromised structural roof elements, as well as foundation and wood siding repair, and repainting the building. Additional funds will support critical stabilization and weatherproofing measures that will be necessary to ensure that the building survives.

“Meetinghouse Revival believes we can preserve Black history by restoring our Black churches. These institutions, some of which have been meeting since just after the Civil War, are archives of memory, resilience, and resistance. Wesley Chapel is part of the legacy of Corsicana… With your help, it will remain a part of our future.”

- Dr. Alysia Nicole Harris, Executive Director of Meeting House Revival

Northern facade of the 1916 Wesley Chapel.

Northeast corner of Wesley Chapel.

Original painted stained glass window at Wesley Chapel.

Architectural plans for the rehabilitation of Wesley Chapel