Historical Highlight (May 2019)

Did You Know...

​On May 26, 1981, the historic 74 year old Rock Creek Methodist Church burned down in the night.

Flames destroy landmark church (Sapulpa Herald, May 27, 1981)

The end of an era came last night in a blaze of flames as the Rock Creek Chapel, 1700 S Hickory, allegedly fell victim to an arsonist's torch.

Built in 1907, with funds provided by Elizabeth Sapulpa, the bare bones of the church stood in an overgrown field, with the windows and many boards gone, a stark reminder of Sapulpa's past.

Mrs. Sapulpa, the wife of James Sapulpa, who was the son of Chief Sapulpa, had a dream to build a church for the Native American worshipers of the area.

Hard money was not easy to come by during the years shortly after the turn of the century, so Mrs. Sapulpa sold part of her Native American land allotment to raise money for the structure.

The door of the church was always open for the people of the area, and it was in many ways a personal church, built to provide a place for the Native American population of Sapulpa to meet and worship.

The church was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church South as a mission, but was staffed by the Native Americans since the property was never taken from the restricted rolls of the Department of Indian Affairs (DIA).

The property remained in the custody of the family until 1973 when it was sold at a sheriff's sale to a local developer.

In the early days of Sapulpa, the Rock Creek church was surrounded by camp houses built by the members of the church.

Members could build their own camp houses to provide a place to stay while attending services. Many of those houses were destroyed by fire, and the church itself was heavily damaged.

During the summer months camp meetings were held a week at a time at the church, and people came from many miles around to pitch their tents and stay for a week of services, conferences and just plain visiting.

The worship services at the church were little like the services today. There was no piano or any other musical instrument used during the services, and men and women sat on opposite sides of the room. The pastor, elders, and deacons sat on the stage area and led the singing and the prayers.

Seating arrangements were by tradition, each seat an honored place, and no one would think of taking another person's place or chair.

The Rock Creek Church was one of four in the circuit of a preacher, who was elected each year to serve as senior pastor. There was no salary for a circuit preacher. He was paid from collections.

Early records show that one collection netted 54 cents and 9 mills. A mill was the original Oklahoma sales tax token. The preacher kept the 50 cents. Four cents and the mills went into the church's general fund.

In the late 1960s, the Sapulpa Historical Society was granted a lease on the building by the heirs of Mrs. Sapulpa and the BIA. The Society hoped to restore the church to its original condition and maintain it as a Sapulpa Historical Site open to the public.

The Society did put on a new cedar-shake shingle roof to preserve the interior of the building but the lease and provisions were too expensive for the Society to handle.

Then, litigation over the Native American land was settled, the land was sold at auction, and the combined efforts of the city and the Society were outbid by a land developer.

All that now remains of the church is its foundation, and a hot bed of ashes.

For the past years the historic structure has been falling into decay, a victim of time and the elements. Children have played in the ruins of the building, and fire  has threatened its dry timbers. That threat has finally been realized, and a piece of Sapulpa's history is gone forever.

Arson is said possible  (same article)

The Old Rock Creek Chapel located in a field near 1700 S Hickory was destroyed by a fire shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday.

When firefighters responded to the 10:15 p.m. fire, the building was engulfed in flames. Five firefighters and four officers stood by to protect area houses and to make sure the fire did not burst out of control, Fire Marshall Tony Woodall said Wednesday. Woodall added that there was not much else the department could do because the chapel was burning when it arrived.

Fire reports indicated the fire possibly could have been set by individuals playing with matches in the area.

(The bell tower of the Rock Creek Chapel, 1700 S Hickory, was a blazing symbol of the end of an era Tuesday...The structure, built in 1907 by Elizabeth Sapulpa, was reduced to ashes within 30 minutes.)