Located on Highway 31 S (Franklin Road) stands the "meeting house" of Owen Chapel. It began in 1859 on land donated by Jim C. Owen. While waiting for the building to be completed, services were held across the the road in a log building. The first service held in the present structure was in 1867.

The solid brick walls are still staunch and true (the bricks were made on site). The original roof, imported from England, was replaced with a copper one in 1999. The pews, pulpit and the front doors have weathered the 150 years quite well!

Construction continued while the battles of Frankin and Nashville were waged. It is said that the workers never stopped working despite the shells and battles surrounding them. Pot-bellied stoves originally heated the high-ceilinged, 40' x 70' interior. Those eventually gave way to coal heaters; and, in 1950, gas heating was installed. Candle lighting gave way to oil lamps, which eventually gave way to electricity in 1929. Venetian blinds replaced the window shades, and carpeting covered the floors in the 1960's.

A pulpit view shows the two front doors and the partition that runs down the middle of the pews. It was customary for the women and children to enter through in the right door and sit on the right side. The men came in and were seated on the left. This custom was called into question in 1945. Earl Alexander had just returned from World War II and "no custom" was going to stop his wife, Louise, from sitting next to her husband. As you can image, this created quite a stir, but it did make people wonder, "Why do we sit apart?" Since then, it became a matter of choice, not custom, as to where one sits for worship.

The congregation distinguishes itself spiritually as well. It is written in the old leather-bound record book (pictured left) that the church failed to meet only three times since 1859! Services were called off twice during the "War Between the States" because "the Yankees were foraging"; and once again because of a "near cloudburst." The book contains hundreds of entries describing the services "... after the singing and prayer, the Bible was read and then we observed the Lord's Supper." (The silver communion ewer and cups are pictured to the left as well)