Is Black History on The Chopping Block Again With Oak Cliff United Methodist Church?
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By CJ Gresh
Special Contributor
Are we facing the possible demolition of yet another landmarked church? This time it’s the historic Oak Cliff United Methodist Church. Why don’t we honor history — especially Black history — more?
In 2019 CandysDirt.com shared possible adaptive reuses for the Oak Cliff United Methodist Church in What Do You Do With an Empty Church? At the time, it was one of many in the Victor Ballas property portfolio. According to the DCAD history, the property was sold to GP LAVON DAVIS LLC in 2021.
But instead of getting to work on this historic church and making it useful again, the owner has let it fall into disrepair.
The demolition-by-neglect case of the Oak Cliff United Methodist Church is headed to the Dallas Landmark Commission on Monday, Oct. 4. For those of you who want to jump to the point, it’s on page 13, item 5. The meeting officially starts at 1 p.m.
What’s interesting is that most of this wasn’t made known until a 14-minute video of an urban explorer’s jaunt through the building was posted on YouTube. And, no, this writer does not formally endorse this activity.
A Historic Landmark, Twice Over
The Oak Cliff United Methodist Church was built in 1915 and received a Texas Historic Landmark designation in 1999. It was given Dallas Landmark status in 2004. The city ordinance is dated 12-7-04, and the City of Dallas website provides these details. Local historian and preservation planner Jim Anderson prepared the landmark nomination form.
The historical marker states:
“This congregation was formed in 1887 when the Shelton and Oliver families began meeting with circuit rider C. G. Shutt in the Shelton home under the name St. Mark’s Methodist Church. The Olivers began Sunday School meetings in 1888. The first Methodist church building on this site, largely funded by the efforts of church women, was erected in 1894 and dedicated in 1901. In 1903, when Oak Cliff was annexed to the city of Dallas, the church had 317 members; by 1911, there were 856 congregants. The architectural firm of Sanguinet and Staats, designers of the 1903 Wilson Building in Dallas, the 1907 Flatiron Building in Fort Worth, and the 1910 Scarborough Building in Austin, drew up plans for the Oak Cliff Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The ambitious project was delayed for a time because of a lack of funds but was resumed in 1915 and completed that year. The first wedding was performed in the building in January 1916. The edifice was dedicated in 1926 after the debt had been retired. By that time, the membership was 1,649, and an educational building was erected. The church complex has been enlarged and renovated as needed. Though the sanctuary was damaged by fire in 1958, it was soon restored and back in use. The Oak Cliff United Methodist church building consists of two stories and a full basement. The brick-clad edifice, designed on a cruciform plan, features a front facade dominated by a full-height pedimented entry portico supported on cast concrete Tuscan columns. Other classical revival details, including cast stone coping, decorative brick frieze, and palladian doors, make this structure distinctive. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 1999”
Review of county property records reveal deeds, liens, releases, and other records of note for “portions of Lots 4 and 7, and all of Lots 5 and 6, Block 107-3090, of the Original Town of Oak Cliff, a Subdivision in Dallas County,” including the UMC removal of Deed Restrictions.
Demolition-by-neglect findings may further cast question marks on the future of this Dallas treasure. What will the future hold for this gem of our city? Why do we keep trying to destroy our history, especially our Black history?
CJ Gresh is a longtime observer of Dallas City Hall. An honorably discharged United States Marine photographer and videographer, Gresh was deployed to Asia, North and West Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. Post-service endeavors include stints in technology, management, and consulting.
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While I, too, ask why we don’t honor Black history in our built heritage, and while I, too, agree that Oak Cliff United Methodist Church should be restored, not demolished, I don’t understand why Black history and OCUMC are being linked in this article. Oak Cliff UMC stands well outside of the historic bounds (pre-WWII) of the greater Tenth Street Freedman’s Town, the only African American enclave in Oak Cliff of any significant size prior to the Second World War. There were other small enclaves like Thomas Hill (just north of Kidd Springs) and Jerden Lane, but most African Americans in Oak Cliff were concentrated in the three areas of the freedman’s town: Tenth Street, The Bottom and The Heights.
I’ve spent more than thirteen years combing deed and census records and city directories to document the boundaries of Black Oak Cliff. The historically white Oak Cliff UMC is well outside of those historical boundaries. One of the ways we dishonor Black history is by perpetuating errors that could be corrected with a bit more research.