Saving historic St. Matthews Chapel in Todd, NC

The Story

"But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you." Jeremiah 26:14

St. Matthew’s & Todd Community

The church is an important part of community’s heritage and there is widespread interest in restoring and preserving it for the community.
The Todd community has already come together to clean up the grounds and do urgently needed repairs. And we want/need to do more.

The roof is in dire need of repair. We would like to update the bathroom and possibly move it to the main floor for easier access (especially for handicap access), the current porches need to come off and be reconstructed. There is a lot of water damage to the outside of the structure which will need repair. Currently though the inside of the church is still well preserved and beautiful.

Some of the community vision for St. Matthews includes:
Raising funds for historical restoration and preservation; developing a small historical park around St. Matthew’s; creating a venue for special events and commUnity meetings.

History of the creation of this chapel:
“Around 1850, Malaria struck Salisbury, NC. The fever was killing lots of
people. Two friends Charlie Todd and Hugh Dobbin who lived on Sherrills Ford Rd. near the St. Jude Episcopal Church, Salisbury, loaded their families in their wagons and headed to what is now known as Todd, NC. There was no malaria in the mountains and folks had not linked the disease to mosquitoes yet.
Hugh Dobbin founded the church and built a his log cabin on the creek just below the church.
Hugh had two sons, Hugh Dobbin and Nimrod Menefee Dobbin. Nimrod is buried in the cemetery at the church. Son, Hugh became a bishop in the Episcopal Church and served in different areas. Outside of Lenoir, in Happy Valley is a church with a plaque recognizing his service. He was also involved with the Patterson School for Boys.

Facts about the church:

Built in early 20th Century
A “Gothic Revival gem” in frame (The Architectural History of Watauga County, North Carolina)
One of several Episcopal mission churches established after the creation of the Jurisdiction of Western N.C., along with St. Mary’s, West Jefferson, and Holy Trinity, Glendale Springs (A Guide to the Historic Architecture of Western North Carolina)
Attempt to resurrect of the mission in the mid-1990’s seems not to have survived into the 21st Century.
Nevertheless, the little chapel still evokes the urge to pray in many who enter.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
~Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Friends of St. Matthews Chapel is a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State of North Carolina and has tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. EIN 47-5620737

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Saving historic St. Matthews Chapel in Todd, NC

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