Bell's Campground Baptist Church

    Bell's Campground Baptist Church was organized in 1895 and became a member of the Midland Association of Baptist in 1901. However, the history of the church dates back into the late 1700's, even before Tennessee became a state, when the community of Powell was part of Hawkins County, North Carolina, Southwest Territory of the Ohio River. During the late 1700's, pioneer families on their way West had already begun to use as a burial ground a plot of ground that was to become Bell's Campground Cemetery. Then in 1809, John Menifee, one of the first settlers in the area, deeded to a group of trustees two acres of property on which to build a meeting house for all faiths.

    The foundation for Menifee's Meeting House was laid on September 9, 1809. It was to be shared by Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterians for many years. It later became known as Bell's Meeting House, named after the Samuel Bell family who had purchased the surrounding Menifee property. Sometime near the end of the Civil War, the name of the meeting house was changed to Union Church, a name signifying the unification of the several denominations  into a single house of worship.

    The Presbyterians were the first to organize their own church in 1832, but continued to worship in the Union Church until 1872 when they built their own building. The Methodist organized in in 1880 and built their own building in 1891. The Baptist organized in 1895 and continued to worship in the Union Church until 1929 when they constructed their own building. That building was used until 1955 when it was razed to make room for our existing building, The latest addition, our educational building, was completed in October, 1987.

In 1995, Bell's Campground Baptist Church celebrated its 100th anniversary