First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pokagon National Register of Historic Places Listing

Most Civil War-era churches quietly rot away. This one didn't. Instead, this modest frame structure in Pokagon Township claims a massive piece of global music history. In 1913, an evangelist named George Bennard arrived at the local parsonage. He had a song. But it wasn't finished yet. He sat in a room, picked at his guitar, and finally completed the lyrics to "The Old Rugged Cross" right there. A local five-person choir sang the finished hymn to the public for the first time inside this sanctuary. It became a global phenomenon.

Carpenters built the church in 1862 using heavy, hand-hewn timber. They opted for a simple Greek Revival design with pointed Gothic window arches. It served local farmers for decades. Eventually, though, the congregation dwindled. Then, the doors locked and nature took over. By the late 1990s, the roof had caved in, and wild vines strangled the altar. It looked like a total loss. But local folks refused to let it rot. They formed a preservation association, raised cash, and literally rebuilt the sagging walls. They saved it. In 2002, the site earned its spot on the National Register.