Did You Know?

Housing Conference Meetings in Montreat

From its inception, Montreat was planned to be a Christian conference grounds.  Pre-1900 conferences were relatively small since housing was at a premium and the only meeting spaces were out in the open or under temporary tents.  In 1900 the Community Building, designed to serve as a school and church, was completed (more about this project later).  

Since the new Hotel Montreat was available for housing, conferences were widely advertised.  As you can see from the picture of the attendees at a 1907 conference, posed in front of a temporary tent, these summer events were quite popular.  Hotel Montreat and the Community Building were simply too small.  In 1907 the front section of the Alba Hotel was constructed (more about this project later).  Two years later, in 1909, Calvin Auditorium was ready for use and continued to serve conferences until the completion of Anderson Auditorium in 1922. 

History of the Community Building

In 1900 Weston Gales, a founder of Montreat then serving as General Manager, knew that Montreat needed a church and school building.  Paying for this building, he also knew, would be a challenge.  Over the course of several months during the winter and spring, Gales made a number of appeals for funds and, at the same time, negotiated with suppliers for the materials necessary for the building.  Contributions came in, usually ranging from $5-20.  He knew he would be short since the building was projected to cost about $1800.  To his rescue came Charles A. Rowland, Jr., a businessman from Athens, Georgia. 

Gales and Rowland had met several years earlier when Gales was in Athens to conduct a series of revivals.   Gales invited Rowland to be on the initial Managing Committee of Montreat.  Rowland contributed $400 and the building was completed, debt-free. Over the years it has served as a school and church, a place for meetings until it became too small, the Community Center for African-Americans in Montreat until 1963, the Greybeard Theatre, an assembly point for clubs and, since 1986, Montreat’s post office.  It is a miracle that this wooden structure never burned!

Thanks to the Presbyterian Heritage Center, especially Nancy Midgette, for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for even more Montreat history and so much more.