Public singing at Brush Creek Hall has a long history Editor's Note: The following was submitted by Ed Adams on behalf of the Highland Camerata, which recently acquired a new home just over the state line in Grayson County, Va. Nearly half of the camerata's members are from Alleghany County. Brush Creek Hall, for over 15 years the home of the Highland Camerata, is one of the oldest buildings in Grayson County, and one of the prettiest. About a mile from the New River, Brush Creek Hall nestles on the banks of Brush Creek at the intersection of Dixie Road and U.S. 21, south of Independence, Va. It is surrounded by serene pasture, creek and forest. Built in 1884, the original church building was the natural outgrowth of earlier brush arbor worship services held on the site. In a recent conversation among Jerry Wingate, its owner, and Ed Adams and Mike Schmid of its current tenant, the Highland Camerata, it was learned that communal singing by the people around Brush Creek Hall predates the 117-year-old structure by several years. Three denominations, Missionary Baptist, Methodist and Primitive Baptist built the original structure and shared it for generations.

The first trustees were J.C. Vaughan, Isaac Boyer, Floyd Anders, C.F. Long and J.R. Poole. At least four additions were made to the original building.

By 1980, Brush Creek Baptist Church, which was the only surviving congregation, decided to erect a new building about one half mile further up Bald Hill on land donated by French Vaughan and Canell Finney. The new facility was occupied on Oct. 24, 1981 and the old building was bought by a local realtor.

The future of the building was uncertain until it was purchased by Jerry M. Wingate and his son, Jerry M. Wingate, Jr. in 1982. The elder Wingate, whose farm surrounds the site, said that he had been to church there regularly from earliest childhood and that his family wanted to preserve the building for sentimental reasons. Wingate attended Sunday school there as a child, teenager and adult. One of his teachers was French Vaughan. Another was Raby M. Cox, who later became his father-in-law. Raby taught the adults there for more than 50 years.

After teaching at Brush Creek by 10 a.m., Raby would give the same lesson at Bethany Methodist Church at 11 a.m. Wingate remembers hearing as a child that the three denominations rotated the use of the pulpit from Sunday to Sunday, although the congregation remained more or less the same. During the summer months, on fifth Sundays, a singing, frequently led by French Vaughan, was held at Brush Creek or one of the other churches in the area. He also remembers with affection the song leader, Isaac (Ike) Boyer, and Methodist song leader Eck Elliot. Wingate recalls that in his youth he was told about the blacksmith shop operated by Eck Elliot and Tommy Murray, which stood just a few yards across the creek, on the edge of the present-day U.S. 21, and there was a one-room log schoolhouse a few yards up the creek from the church building. He recalls that Mattie Cox and Elbert Elliot were teachers there. Just past the bend in Dixie Road at one time stood a three-story Farmer's Union Building. At different times there were two houses and store buildings next to, or across the creek from, the church. Singing as always played an important part in life at Brush Creek. Wingate recalls hearing that the people who lived further "up the hollers" walked to church, carrying lanterns in the evenings, and that they would sing hymns as they went along, gathering families as they got closer to church.

Some of the preachers he recalls include Lonnie Shaw, Shade Caudill, Kyle Taylor and a Methodist preacher named Mayberry, whom he remembers fondly. Deacons and leaders of the Missionary Baptist Church were Willard Reeves, Charles Sturgill, S.T. Vaughan, Burt Boyer and many others. As a young man, Wingate helped build some of the four additions to the building. He recalls cutting trees donated by Sparta realtor Floyd Boyer, Jr., who was then a member.

A devout Baptist all his life, Wingate retells of church services and Sunday school at Brush Creek vividly and with affection. He also recalls baptisms in the creek. "When a baptism was coming up we would build a dam so that the water would be deep enough," he recalled. "One Sunday the dam was broken, but we fixed it." He recalls the baptisms of many Brush Creek members there and in the New River at Willard Reeve's house just a short distance away.

Brush Creek Hall became the home of the Highland Camerata as the result of a chance meeting between then Camerata Music Director David Hoffman and Wingate at a Fourth of July Parade in Independence. Wingate offered the building free of charge for six months if the Camerata would pay rent after that. "I very much appreciate the Camerata as a tenant," he said, "and I enjoy their performances."

In the spring of 2001, Wingate and the current Camerata president, Mike Schmid, discussed the need to refurbish the old building. Over the summer, with the camerata's encouragement and some financial support, Wingate fixed up and painted the exterior to meet its original condition and beauty.

Members of the camerata painted the interior and reconditioned the hardwood floors.

On Sept. 30 of this year, the members of Brush Creek Baptist Church and their friends held an "old-fashioned service" in celebration — a true reunion — in the spruced up Brush Creek Hall.

Inside the Hall recently, Schmid noted that the acoustics were ideal for the 25-voice camerata and the audience. "This not only is a fine rehearsal site, but, with its convenient parking and handicapped accessibility, it deserves to see more use as the area's intimate performance venue," he said.

Ed Adams, former camerata president and board member, added, "I know I'm echoing the feelings of every member of the camerata in saying we look forward enthusiastically to performing in our refurbished home."

In the years since Brush Creek Hall has been the camerata's home, several recitals and coffee house performances have been given at the facility. Most recently, the New River Singers performed and in other years the New River Opera has held performances. The Camerata will present two performances of this year's Christmas concert at the hall on Tuesday, Dec. 18 and Friday, Dec. 21. Both performances are at 7:30 p.m. Brush Creek Hall, which was used as a church for most of its history, was built in 1884.

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