Do you remember?

[binny]

Do you remember those little roadside chapels on the side of highways?

They were tiny little chapels where people could stop and take a few minutes to rest and pray if they wanted to. They often had racks of brochures and Gideon Bibles in them.

I don't know what made me think of them but we used to stop at them a lot. my dad was a minister and we traveled a lot when I was little.

Just think about those made me smile today I wonder if there are any around anymore?

 

[Michelle67]

There's a little itty bitty one here on Hwy 7 on the way up to Mt. Rainier...I think it is in Elbe but I'm not sure. I used to pass it all the time when I was delivering medications to the retirement home in Morton. It's so cute!

 

[minniecarousel]

Never heard of 'em.

 

[akhenaten]

binny....here is an article about tiny roadside churches...
is this what you were talking about??

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7266966/

 

[binny]

here is a page devoted to them All over the world how cool is that?


http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=c72cca29-e2c7-428c-9f15-e03a94fe7ec1&wst=6


here is one

 

[mom2cinderella]

I don't remember ever seeing one in Ohio/Indiana/Michigan.

I do remember when rest-stops didn't have flush toilets.....

Michele

 

[binny]

binny....here is an article about tiny roadside churches...
is this what you were talking about??

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7266966/

YES! Thank you!!


Michelle, here is yours! I think I remember that one. My dad used to pastor at the Amboy Church of the Nazarene ( at the base of St Helens) We traveled those roads a lot!


ELBE, WASHINGTON: The Evangelische Lutherische Kirche, aka: "The Little White Church," measures 18 ft. x 24 ft. and seats a whopping 46. It was built by German settlers in 1906, and enjoyed a classification by Ripley's Believe It or Not as the "Smallest Church in America" (titles such as this, handed out decades ago, litter the tiny church landscape and cause no small confusion to pilgrims). Because E.L.K. lies on the highway travelers use to reach Paradise in Mt. Rainier National Park, the church is promoted as "on the road to Paradise."
Services are held one Sunday a month at 2:30 p.m., March through November, and on Christmas Eve. The church is not open most days, but tourists can climb a convenient observation platform and peer through a window.

 

[binny]

I don't remember ever seeing one in Ohio/Indiana/Michigan.

I do remember when rest-stops didn't have flush toilets.....

Michele

Oh I remember that too!!

here is one for you in Atwood MI

That is very much like what I remember. I am going to have to ask my brother what he remembers of them I think my dad stopped at every one of them between Washington and Kansas then up to Michigan and back. That was a 6 week trip we took when I was little.

 

[akhenaten]

YES! Thank you!!


Michelle, here is yours! I think I remember that one. My dad used to pastor at the Amboy Church of the Nazarene ( at the base of St Helens) We traveled those roads a lot!


ELBE, WASHINGTON: The Evangelische Lutherische Kirche, aka: "The Little White Church," measures 18 ft. x 24 ft. and seats a whopping 46. It was built by German settlers in 1906, and enjoyed a classification by Ripley's Believe It or Not as the "Smallest Church in America" (titles such as this, handed out decades ago, litter the tiny church landscape and cause no small confusion to pilgrims). Because E.L.K. lies on the highway travelers use to reach Paradise in Mt. Rainier National Park, the church is promoted as "on the road to Paradise."
Services are held one Sunday a month at 2:30 p.m., March through November, and on Christmas Eve. The church is not open most days, but tourists can climb a convenient observation platform and peer through a window.

you are welcome...
i don't remember them (we stopped at some Catholic shrines when I was a child, no tiny chapels though)...but next road trip i will see if we are passing any....

 

[binny]

Ok here is a joke for about "Wayside Chapels"



The part about Jack Parr I have no idea if its true or not but this was one of my dads favourite jokes. Maybe thats why we stopped at all of those Chapels? Maybe he was looking for the water closet? Just kidding!!!!





An English woman, while in Switzerland, looked at several rooms in a large apartment house. She told the schoolmaster who owned the house that she would let him know about renting one of the rooms later. However, after she arrived back at her hotel, the thought occurred to her that she had not asked about the water closet (bathroom). She immediately wrote a note to the schoolmaster asking about the "W.C.", being too bashful to write out the words "water closet." The Swiss schoolmaster, who was far from being an expert in English, did not know what the initials "W.C." meant. He asked the parish priest, and together they decided that it meant Wayside Chapel.The schoolmaster then wrote the following letter to the very surprised woman.
Dear Madame,
I take great pleasure in informing you that the W.C. is located seven miles from the house in the center of a beautiful grove of pine trees. It is capable of holding 229 people and is open on Sunday and Thursday only. I recommend that you come early,although there is plenty of standing room. This is an unfortunate situation, especially if you are in the habit of going regularly.
You will no doubt be glad to hear that a good number bring their lunch and make a day of it, while others who can afford it go by car and arrive just in time. I would especially suggest that your ladyship go on Thursday when there is social music. Acoustically, the place is excellent.
It may interest you to know that my daughter was married in the W.C., and it was there she met her husband. I can remember the rush there was for seats.
The newest attraction is a bell donated by a wealthy resident of the district. It rings joyously every time a person enters. A bazaar is to be held to provide plush seats for all, since the people think it is a long-felt need.
My wife is rather delicate and does not go regularly. Naturally, it pains her very much not to attend more often.
If you wish, I shall be glad to reserve the best seat for you where you will be seen by all. Hoping I have been of service to you, I remain,
Sincerely,
[the schoolmaster]



This is the joke that caused the old "Tonight Show" host Jack Paar to resign. He read it on his show and the producers cut it out. He objected to the "censorship", made a speech at the beginning of his show as it aired that night and walked off. Hugh Downs was his sidekick. The applause lasting for many minutes but Paar was gone for good.



We'll, not quite. It turns out that Jack was "off the air" for only a month.

 

[disykat]

Are these different from just a very small church? I always thought the one in Elbe was just a very small church. They have weddings etc. there as well as worship services.

Some of the pictured churches look like playhouses! I had never heard of this concept of little chapels specifically for traveler's respite.

 

[akhenaten]

Ok here is a joke for about "Wayside Chapels"



The part about Jack Parr I have no idea if its true or not but this was one of my dads favourite jokes. Maybe thats why we stopped at all of those Chapels? Maybe he was looking for the water closet? Just kidding!!!!





An English woman, while in Switzerland, looked at several rooms in a large apartment house. She told the schoolmaster who owned the house that she would let him know about renting one of the rooms later. However, after she arrived back at her hotel, the thought occurred to her that she had not asked about the water closet (bathroom). She immediately wrote a note to the schoolmaster asking about the "W.C.", being too bashful to write out the words "water closet." The Swiss schoolmaster, who was far from being an expert in English, did not know what the initials "W.C." meant. He asked the parish priest, and together they decided that it meant Wayside Chapel.The schoolmaster then wrote the following letter to the very surprised woman.
Dear Madame,
I take great pleasure in informing you that the W.C. is located seven miles from the house in the center of a beautiful grove of pine trees. It is capable of holding 229 people and is open on Sunday and Thursday only. I recommend that you come early,although there is plenty of standing room. This is an unfortunate situation, especially if you are in the habit of going regularly.
You will no doubt be glad to hear that a good number bring their lunch and make a day of it, while others who can afford it go by car and arrive just in time. I would especially suggest that your ladyship go on Thursday when there is social music. Acoustically, the place is excellent.
It may interest you to know that my daughter was married in the W.C., and it was there she met her husband. I can remember the rush there was for seats.
The newest attraction is a bell donated by a wealthy resident of the district. It rings joyously every time a person enters. A bazaar is to be held to provide plush seats for all, since the people think it is a long-felt need.
My wife is rather delicate and does not go regularly. Naturally, it pains her very much not to attend more often.
If you wish, I shall be glad to reserve the best seat for you where you will be seen by all. Hoping I have been of service to you, I remain,
Sincerely,
[the schoolmaster]



This is the joke that caused the old "Tonight Show" host Jack Paar to resign. He read it on his show and the producers cut it out. He objected to the "censorship", made a speech at the beginning of his show as it aired that night and walked off. Hugh Downs was his sidekick. The applause lasting for many minutes but Paar was gone for good.



We'll, not quite. It turns out that Jack was "off the air" for only a month.

funny.... i especially like the line about being sure she will get a good seat and be seen by all!!

 

[browneyes106]

There are few in Colorado.

 

[Michelle67]

YES! Thank you!!


Michelle, here is yours! I think I remember that one. My dad used to pastor at the Amboy Church of the Nazarene ( at the base of St Helens) We traveled those roads a lot!


ELBE, WASHINGTON: The Evangelische Lutherische Kirche, aka: "The Little White Church," measures 18 ft. x 24 ft. and seats a whopping 46. It was built by German settlers in 1906, and enjoyed a classification by Ripley's Believe It or Not as the "Smallest Church in America" (titles such as this, handed out decades ago, litter the tiny church landscape and cause no small confusion to pilgrims). Because E.L.K. lies on the highway travelers use to reach Paradise in Mt. Rainier National Park, the church is promoted as "on the road to Paradise."
Services are held one Sunday a month at 2:30 p.m., March through November, and on Christmas Eve. The church is not open most days, but tourists can climb a convenient observation platform and peer through a window.

Yep, that's the one. So darn cute.

Are these different from just a very small church? I always thought the one in Elbe was just a very small church. They have weddings etc. there as well as worship services.

Some of the pictured churches look like playhouses! I had never heard of this concept of little chapels specifically for traveler's respite.

You're probably right. It's just what popped into my head when I read the post. That little church makes me smile every time I drive past it.

 

[binny]

Are these different from just a very small church? I always thought the one in Elbe was just a very small church. They have weddings etc. there as well as worship services.

Some of the pictured churches look like playhouses! I had never heard of this concept of little chapels specifically for traveler's respite.

It could be either I suppose. The ones I remember did have the occasional service in them but their main purpose was to be a resting place and they were almost always open to weary travelers.


They often smelled musty from what I can remember. Kind of like a really old book

 

[binny]

There are few in Colorado.

Are there? Oh great I will be sure to look for them as we move to Denver in a couple of months. I would love to show my kids!

 

[Caropooh]

Here's a picture of the one in Elbe.

 

[Michelle67]

Thanks for the smile! And I didn't even have to drive 50+ miles to see it.

 

[wdwmom2]

Here is "Our lady of the pines" from that msnbc article. We visited it last year on our fall motorcycle trip. It is REALLY small.

Here are a few pics so that you can get an idea.

In this one, I was standing in the doorway.

 

[binny]

Thanks theyre beautiful!