Ward Chapel AME Church

Ward Chapel AME Church
Street address: 
130 W 4th St
Prattville, Alabama

 

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Phone: 
+1 334-365-7962

The history of Ward Chapel goes back to the days of slavery, when its members were connected to the Methodist Church in Prattville. The first sanctuary, in 1843, was located south of Autauga Creek, across from the end of Chestnut Street. The building was a framed two-story structure, the upper level of which was fitted up as a church and the lower story as a store.
At the close of the Civil War, Daniel Pratt deeded the building for a church and school building for Negroes. The building served the black community until 1902, at which time it burned. A new building had already been constructed before the fire. This building was used until the 1990s, when a new modern sanctuary was built. The 1902 building now houses the Peoples Museum.

Related attractions

Originally called Montgomery House, 1821 Greek Revival plantation home was significant to cultural development of central Alabama. Remarkable circular staircase spirals 24 ft. to 3rd-floor banquet room. Available for weddings, parties, tours, etc.
Sponsored by Autauga Co. Heritage Assn., museum dedicated to historical preservation of Autauga Co. Features Daniel Pratt memorabilia, local family history, Civil War room, county artifacts. Genealogy information access.
Dedicated in 1982 as 1st wilderness park developed inside city limits in U.S. Areas of forest have 60-ft.-tall bamboo with trunks 6 inches in diameter. Hundreds of varieties of plants, including one of Alabama's largest beech trees.
The Home of Martha and Earnest Biggs is an outstanding example of Queen Ann-style architecture. It was built in 1893 for Joseph Bennett Bell, the son-in-law of Merrill Pratt, nephew of town founder Daniel Pratt.
The Wilkinson House is a two-story Queen Anne Victorian Home built Circa 1850.
Old Prattvillage is a collection of structures from the 1800's. Some are standing in their original locations and others relocated by the efforts of the Autauga County Heritage Association and private citizens.
In 1838 seven members of the Union Baptist Church met to form the Unity Baptist Church, the forerunner of First Baptist Church. Daniel Pratt deeded a lot south of Autauga Creek to the Unity Baptist Church in 1840.
First Presbyterian Church was organized in 1846 with thirteen chartering members. Four years later the first church was dedicated. This was a one-room frame structure located near the cotton gin factory on the south side of Autauga Creek.
The First United Methodist Church was founded in 1843. Daniel Pratt provided and equipped a room above a store for these first meetings and later donated land and money for a larger and more elaborate church building.
Episcopal Services were held in Prattville as early as the late 1840's, but the congregation formally organized in 1859 as Saint Mark's Episcopal mission and was admitted to the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama in 1877.