The membership of Shiloh Baptist Church dwindled over the years until its pastor, Floyd Palmer, only saw five people a week sitting in the church's pews.

What's more, flood damage caused by the periodic overflowing of Sullivan Run left the 107-year-old building condemned by the city of Butler.

Still, the church's history and importance to the Black community of Butler have spoken to people not even affiliated with Shiloh Baptist.

Following the news that the church was scheduled for demolition, a group banded together in an effort to save it.

“That church is the one and only Black church in the Butler community,” said the Rev. Dana Haynes, who helped start the group in June but is not affiliated with the church. “It is a part of history that we don't want to see go away.”

According to Haynes, the group is informal and consists of people interested in seeing the church continue. He said other supporters of saving the church include the Butler County Historical Society and a Butler City Council member.

Council discussed the demolition of the church at a June 10 meeting. Councilman Jeff Smith asked that demolition be delayed 90 days for someone to express interest in saving the condemned church.

“It just seemed a shame that we were going to approve tearing down this church that probably meant so much to so many people,” Smith said.

Dwindling membership

Palmer said Shiloh is one of the first Black churches in Butler, making it a hub for the local Black community.

He also said the church has not held a religious service in about five years, and the last member of the church's trustees died earlier this year.

Because of the challenges faced by the church in recent years, Palmer has mixed feelings about its future possibilities.

“I was in favor of demolishing the church because it sits there on the creek where it floods,” Palmer said. “Our membership had come down to nothing, and that's a real challenge.”

Despite his concern, Palmer said the church represented the Black community in Butler by just having a congregation. He also said he met many people through his work at the church.

Dorothy Dodson, who attended the church for more than 40 years, said that although it never had many members, it is historically significant.

“When I moved to town, I wanted my children to have some interaction with African-American families,” Dodson said. “It symbolizes a presence of African-Americans and the people who started that church 100 years ago in this community.”

Even if enough people came together to save the church, Dodson said she doesn't know how best to carry on its memory.

“You need people to continue it,” Dodson said. “As a historical place, I think there is value. But what would you do with it? I don't know.”

In his speech to City Council, Smith suggested either moving the church to a new location or finding some way to preserve the building itself.

“The first priority is to save the building,” Smith said. “Second is to save the memory.”

Saving the memory

The 90-day demolition delay Smith requested from council is shrinking. While the church will likely never hold religious services again, people are looking at other ways to make the church useful.

According to Butler's building code official John Evans, the building has cracks in the foundation and water damage in the basement from flooding. All of its bathroom fixtures are missing, and the structure is not connected to the public sewer system.

Palmer said Shiloh's functionality as a church is not as high priority as other options.

“We can always establish another church if we decide,” he said. “Having a cornerstone as a memorial might be an option.”

The church's cornerstone is visible behind some overgrown brush, and it marks its construction in 1914. Several people looking to save the church agree that the memory could carry on through a memorial, or even a museum.

“It could be a learning tool — not just for Black people, but for all people,” Haynes said. “I don't want to see history snuffed out and just have nothing there.”