Washington County

When Washington County was created in 1825, the area contained only about 100 families.  Most of these people were frontier farmers, although a few were engaged in other activities, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico Coast. 

The county's coastal boundary stretched from East Pass (near today's Destin) to the mouth of the Apalachicola River, in what is today, Franklin County.  The county's northern boundary extended to the Alabama-Florida line near today's Geneva, Alabama.

Carved from the territory that had been a part of Jackson County (created in 1822) and Walton County (created in 1824), Washington contained a vast region that comprised all of today's Bay and Calhoun Counties, and parts of what are now Franklin, Calhoun, Holmes, Walton and Okaloosa Counties.  At the time, the county was larger than some of the nation's smaller states.

Chipley - Founded In 1882

In 1882, the community of Orange was founded and renamed Chipley.   It was the year the Pensacola & Atlantic (later L & N) Railroad was completed beyond the town site.

Ironically, since Washington is still a dry county today, the first business enterprise was a wine shop that had been established on the site in 1881 by B. W. Berry, who also operated a pre-Prohibition Era whiskey distillery on land that nearly a century later would become Falling Waters State Park Recreation Center, just south of Chipley on Hwy 77.

Berry's business however came to an end in 1899, when the Washington County electors voted by a narrow margin to prohibit the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages within its boundaries.

Construction of a railway siding was completed in 1882 beside what was to become known as Tank Pond, near today's Agricultural Center and City Hall.  Water was pumped from the pond into an elevated tank, where the steam-driven locomotives stopped to re-supply.  The locomotives also obtained supplies of wood for fuel.

The original name of Orange, was probably for Orange Hill, the most prominent neighboring community. 

Initial plans called for a town to be platted beside the railroad on a hill perhaps three or four miles east of Tank Pond, near the future site of the National Egg-Laying Test Site (Poultry Experiment Station).  That site was then in Jackson County, a circumstance that prompted some of the Orange Hill and other Washington County promoters to seek a site in their county.  They visualized county seat status for the proposed town, but they realized it could not be achieved in Jackson County.  Marianna, then the largest town on the railroad east of Pensacola, had been well-established as the seat of government for Jackson County for half a century.

So the prospective promoters of the new town - Col D. H. Horne, Capt. Angus McMillan, Capt. G. W. Cook, Maj. W. J. Vankirk and J. M. Callaway, among others- approached Col. W. D. Chipley, manager of the new railroad,  with the idea of moving the proposed town site into Washington County.

Col Chipley, persuaded by his friends, some of them former fellow-Confederate Army officers, accepted their proposal.  Maj. Vankirk acquired title to 80 acres of land, which was then surveyed by Col. Horne, and would become the town's basic business district.  (For more on Chipley's founder see Historic Photos).

Soon after the site decision was made, the men named the town Chipley in honor of the railroad builder.  As the town developed, however, its northern and eastern sections spread into Jackson County.  That created problems, particularly for law enforcement and school officials, and that led to a border adjustment in 1915 that gave Chipley more Washington County "elbow room."

The Newspaper

n 1882, J.C. Langley was the editor of the Intelligencer, the first newspaper established in the community.  The paper survived under different names and ownership to become the Chipley Banner, which merged with the Washington County News in 1943. 

The Town Is Built

Chipley's railway station and post office were originally located in railway box cars. Chipley's first school was called Limestone, named for Limestone Church about half a mile from town.  The school's name was changed to Chipley just after the town was established in 1886.  It was located near the site of today's county jail and about the same time, the Methodist Church that now stands at the top of the hill on Jackson Street, was  built around the same time.

Among Chipley's first merchants were William Tiller and a Mr. Matthew.  H.D. Feagan was the town's first druggist.  Dr. R. B. Bellamy was the first physician and Dr. A. D. Brown was the town's first dentist.  A Mr. Thompson was Chipley's first lawyer.

Major Vankirk started selling lots from his 80-acre parcel.  Lots facing the railroad were 50 feet wide and 140 feet deep and sold for $40 each, while the residential, or back lots, were sold for $20 each.  Among the first residents of Chipley were William Tiller, Capt. McMillan, and Ed Daniel.  Other early settlers included T. J. Jones, Sol Ellis, Dr. Bellamy, Dave Farrior, Henry Faust, J. M. Callaway, Daniel Williams and Billy Williams.  A Baptist church was built in 1889 on a lot later occupied by G. M. Meyers.

The Collier House, a boarding house, was in existence prior to 1890 near today's Chipley Motel.  The Chipley Hotel was completed in 1890.

Dekle & Company, private bankers, brought Chipley its first banking services in 1899.  The First National Bank was organized in 1905, and the Chipley State Bank was formed a year later.

When Chipley was reincorporated in 1901, the city authorized the issuance of $10,000 in bonds to finance the construction of a municipal water system and a school building.  In 1902, the Presbyterian Church was built.

In 1905, the Birmingham Columbus & St. Andrews Bay Railroad started construction from Chipley southward.  In 1910, a $22,000 bond issue was sold to finance improvements to the water system, and in 1913 the city approved a franchise to Chipley Light & Power Company for the installation and operation of an electric light system.  CL&PC later added an ice making plant. 

In 1919, a $60,000 bond issue financed the installation of a sewer system and improvements to the existing water system.  A few downtown streets were paved in 1922 a year later, sidewalks were installed over a wider area of town.

In 1926 Gulf Power Company acquired CL&PC and was granted a franchise to furnish electricity within the city. 

Chipley became the Washington County seat of government in 1927, then a courthouse and jail were built within a few years. 

Historical news clips from the Chipley Banner

Early news clips from the Chipley Banner newspaper reveal that Chipley, taking advantage of the railroad, quickly became a productive farming community.

Pear season, 1893.  The Pear Packing House of Shear & Wolf produced and shipped seven railway cars of pears to market that season.  Each carload contained 500 boxes of pears.

Shipping Watermelons, 1893.  Watermelons were being shipped from Chipley in railway carloads in late June, 1893.   "Mr. Danley, Mr. Lockley and Mr. Clark are the shippers thus far..."

Cotton, 1897.  Chipley area producers had shipped 1,475 bales of cotton when the crop year ended in October.

Good, Pure Water, 1902.  Drillers of a municipal water well struck hard, near-flint rock in Chipley in October, at a depth of 58 feet, and found plenty of good, pure water at 108 feet.  Tests showed it to be remarkably free of organic matter.

Cotton Gin Burns, 1910.  A cotton gin owned by E. N. Dekle, A.D. Campbell and W. O. Butler, Jr. burned in Chipley with a loss estimated at $10,000.

Tobacco, 1924.  Tobacco was introduced to Chipley as a cash crop sometime around 1924, and the first railway carload of tobacco was shipped from Chipley to Hahira, Georgia in August of that year.

Fired Its First Kiln, 1925.  The Chipley Lime Company in June 1925, fired its first kiln of lime, under the direction of Manager B.S. Donnan.  The Manager lauded the lime for its purity and abundance.

Watermelons, 1927.  Fred Cope loaded the first carload of 1927 crop-year watermelons to be shipped from Chipley.  The carload sold for $700 and shipments from Chipley by July 24 totaled 250 carloads.

Sweet Potatoes, 1928.  A railway carload of sweet potatoes, shipped from Chipley that year, sold for 65 cents per bushel. 

"Year of the Big Fire" (1898) 

A fire, believed to be of incendiary origin, leveled most of Chipley's business district on May 14, 1898.  The great fire destroyed and gutted thirty-five buildings that were reduced to ashes while Chipley was less than 20 years old.

It was the community's first "baptism of fire."  A second fire leveled a portion of the business district 28 months later.  The year 1898 was locally labeled "year of the big fire."  In the first fire, the rosin yards down by the railroad burned with explosive eagerness, sending great clouds of smoke spiraling into the clear sky on a near-windless day.  The smoke could be seen for miles.

The fire had started a few minutes after 12 o'clock in a small building at the rear of the While & Williams store in the central part of the business district.  It quickly engulfed nearby buildings and jumped to nearby structures, most of them built with yellow heart pine lumber.  The buildings, with their wooden shingle roofs, burst into flames and burned with the eager fury of lightwood kindling.

"Building after building was consumed, until 35 has been laid to earth in ashes," the Chipley Banner reported.  "It was only by perseverance and most heroic work by scores of willing hands that the fire was even stopped where it was.  Fortunately, there was no wind blowing, for had there been...the loss would have been considerably greater.  The origin of the fire is unknown but it is generally attributed to incendiary causes."

The fire alarm consisted of yelling and ringing of church bells, which brought "the whole populace of the town" to the scene.  volunteers formed bucket brigades to battle the blaze, as others raced to remove merchandise, fixtures and household items from threatened buildings.  the Banner described the day as one in the history of Chipley which will be long remembered by the citizens of our little city."

The Rev. S. B. Rogers, pastor of the First Baptist Church used "Chipley in Ashes" as the title of his sermon the next day. 

Post Office Established (1883)

A post office was designated for Chipley, a new community beside the new Pensacola & Atlantic Railroad, on May 4, 1883.  the village, called Orange for the first months of its existence, was destined to become the dominant community in Washington County, which was sharply reduced in size 30 years later.

Henry M. Wimberly, appointed by Republican President Chester A. Arthur, became the first postmaster on the date the office was designated.  He was succeeded on October 22, 1883, by James M. Callaway, also appointed by President Arthur.

William C. Barnes, an appointee of Democratic President Grover Cleveland, became postmaster July 13, 1886.   He served nearly two years, being succeeded by Bernard Y. Kavenaugh on April 28, 1888, also during the first Cleveland Administration.

Postmasters were political appointees prior to 1938 with appointments being made by the President with the consent of the Senate.  Each appointment was made for the duration of the appointing President's term.  A national administration change from Democratic to Republican or vice versa usually brought a change of postmasters across the country. 

In 1938 post masters were given civil service status, and since then, a postmaster appointment will last until a postmaster retires, resigns, or is removed for cause.

Road Department Founded in 1915 

Ca. 1982.  The 1915 Florida Legislature created the Florida Road Department and provided for the appointment of five board members and a state highway engineer.  The first financial report, October 1, 1915 to May 31, 1916, for the State Road Department was $10,153.09

In 1922, the department was divided into five divisions or districts with the 16 northwest counties falling into the area that is now known as the Third District.

Up until the administration of Governor F.P. Cone, the district office was located where the board chairman lived.  During Governor Cone’s administration, John Huey Faulk helped establish Chipley as the permanent district office.   The first district office was located in the “Old Meyers Home.”  Later it moved upstairs in the Dunn Building.  Finally the office was located at its present site in 1940.

During the history of the Chipley District Office, the state has changed from a transportation system of mostly dirt roads to the present day multimodal system involved in all modes of transportation; from the budget of $10,159.09 for the entire state to a budget of $65 million for the third district alone.

The Great Awakening (1916)

Chipley was the scene in 1916 of a phenomenal religious revival, which attracted wide attention.   It was directed by Evangelist George C. Cates, with the assistance of pastor of Chipley's Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches.  Seven hundred persons were "converted" during the revival, described as the most successful ever held here.  It could still claim that distinction.

"The greatest sight ever witnessed in Chipley, probably in West Florida, and possibly in the whole state of Florida...."  said the Chipley Banner, in describing the closing ceremonies of the five-week revival.

Chipley's population was then about 1,500.  Many of the converts were from surrounding farms and communities.  It was a localized version of the "Great Awakening," a revivalist influence that had swept the nation earlier.

"Since that time," the Banner wrote in the December 21, 1916 issue, "there have been something like 100 more who have yielded to the power of the Holy Spirit, confessed their sins and accepted Jesus as their Savior.  Rev Cates is a wonderful preacher, and it is probable that his meeting here is the greatest ever held in Florida."

The Chipley Revival was the subject of a 30-page booklet, called the Cates Union Revival, Chipley, Florida, 1916, published but not copyrighted by the Pentecostal Publishing Company of Louisville,  Kentucky.  Only a few copies were known to be in existence in 1990.  the booklet describes the effectiveness of the revival in no less glowing terms than did the Banner.  It tells how the revival, the before American entered WWI, had a terrific religious-emotional impact on the community.      

Chipley Schools

(ca. 1982) The original Chipley School was an addition to the existing schools of Washington County.  The school district was established in 1874 as the Berry Hill School # 14, with an appropriation of $22.50.  Trustees were J. Berry, V. Tharp, and J.H. Morris.

The location of the Berry Hill School was where the Washington County Court House and the First United Methodist Church now stand, and in the spring of 1879 the Berry Hill School became the Limestone Church.

“J.W. Brown was contracted to teach for three months at Limestone Church at a salary of $10 per month, provided the school show a daily attendance of 12 scholars.”

In May of the same year the school was discontinued for lack of average daily attendance, and in 1883 was changed again to become the Jordan School House.  One year later it was renamed the Chipley School with W. J. Tiller and A. McMillan as trustees.  In 1887, the Washington County School Board ordered the school be established as an official public school site.

Chipley High School District Created

In 1890 it was ordered by B. P. I. of Washington County that Chipley High School District be established to include the town of Chipley, along with sections two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 14,15,and 16, all in Township Four North, Range 13 West under the name of Chipley High School District.

An election was also ordered to decide, “Whether the district shall be specially taxed to increase school privileges.  All saloons and places where intoxicating liquors were sold were required to close on Election Day."

In 1902, the Chipley School was located on the grounds of the present offices of the Washington County School District.  It was constructed of white brick made at Hall’s Brickyard located on what is now Brickyard Road.  The school building had two stories, including four classrooms, an auditorium and a bell tower that occupied space on both floors in the northwest corner of the building.

The first teachers were L.D. McRae, principal; Mrs. W.C. Lockley, Miss Annie Cook, Miss Sparta Blow, and Miss Esther Miller.

On March 5, 1912, an election held in Chipley.  A.D. Carmichael, A.D. Campbell and C. B. Dunn, Sr. were elected trustees and three mills was voted in as the maximum tax levy.

Noted in the minutes of July 1, 1912, Miss Esther Miller, Frances Langston and Rosa Gainer served on the Grading committee of the June Teachers examination.   Fifteen whites and one colored person passed the exam.

In 1916, the twelfth grade was added to Chipley High school, which necessitated the addition of a new building to be located on the north side of the school.  An arcade was built to join the two schools.  The new building, known simply as the high school, had two stories and a basement, with four classrooms, a boiler room and toilets. 

The minutes of 1918 listed Dr. A. E. Gladding as principal of Chipley High School.  Teachers were J.A. Douglas, Normal Department; Marion Alford, Domestic Science; Frances Langston, Mrs. George Meade, Gladys Farrior, Mrs. Eva Shrivalle, Florence Wereline, Mrs. Myrtis Watts, Esther Miller, Helen Cook, Mrs. Nella Shivers and Emma Chambliss.

Early in 1919 the Chipley School district ran out of funds.  The trustees met with the School Board and asked for authority to borrow $1,750 to pay expenses of said school until taxes had been collected. 

In the fall of 1919, John P. Harrell was hired to transport students from Holmes Creek School to the school in Chipley on a flat bed truck.  Before that, transportation was varied for students outside the district who wanted to complete their high school education.   Most of them walked, some even for several miles, while others caught rides with townspeople.  Others rode mail cars, bicycles, horse-drawn wagons, buggies and surreys.

Later, the model -T car appeared on the scene, along with a bus from the Holmes Creek area, and F. L. Cope took over the school bus driving duties and drove for 42 years.  

New High School Building

The present high school building was erected in 1930 and named Washington County High School. 

All high school classes were moved to the new building, leaving the elementary grade students in the two old buildings across the street.  Expansion was needed as time went on, and the school board subsequently purchased small parcels of land adjoining the school property. 

The land south and west of the high school was bought in 1946 from H. H. Wells for $1,250.  A binder of $350 was placed for land west of the athletic field, known as the Hudson property, on October 13, 1947, and the purchase was completed on July 15, 1948.  The T. L. Richards property north of, and adjacent to the high school, was bought on June 30, 1948 for $7,000.  Another parcel of land was purchased on May 11, 1953 from Bertha Wilson and E. C. Daniel.  Another was bought from Spann Braxton in 1973.

The south wings to the high school were added in 1947, with the north wing, the agriculture building and the music building added in 1950.  The first gymnasium, a wooded frame building constructed in 1930, was later used as a warehouse, and the present gymnasium was built in 1955.  Since then, the athletic field has been expanded, and a lot of effort has been put into making it an attractive outdoor ballpark.

The library became obsolete, and a new one was built in 1963 just south of the classrooms and named “The Frances McGeachy Library” in honor of “Miss Frankie,” who taught for many years in the school.  She also served for three years as principal of the school.

In 1946, P. T. A. members met with the school board to request a lunchroom addition for the school. 
The request was granted, and the auditorium in the old high school across the street was cleaned out and set up to be the lunchroom, which began serving lunches in the fall of 1946.  A new cafeteria was constructed in 1958 at a cost of $41,975.

Miss Annie Merle Simmons was the school’s first band director in 1937, and the school produced many fine bands and choral groups over the years. 

Chipley High School has continued to progress as the years passed and is now well known throughout the area. 

Roulhac To Supervise Schools

In July 1913, T. J. Roulhac was contracted to supervise the schools of Washington County under the direction of County School Superintendent W. T. Horne.  Roulhac received $40 a month from the Anna T. Jeans fund, managed by Dr. J. H. Dillard of New Orleans, and $20 from B. P. I. of Washington County.

In 1918, O. F. Long was principal for the Chipley Colored School, and Beulah Cody and Pearla Kemp were the teachers.  Also, T. J. and Patience Roulhac were listed for a number of years among the black schoolteachers. 

A wooden building was moved from the Chipley High School grounds and used as both the elementary and high school, and two rooms were rented for $10 a month to take care of students.

The high school was begun in 1938, with T.J. Roulhac as principal, and the school was subsequently named the Roulhac School to honor the generous devotion of educational services by the Roulhac family.  In 1950, preliminary plans for the new Roulhac School were approved by the school board, and the board ordered construction to begin at the earliest possible time.

With six classrooms, a homemaking room, boiler room and central heating plant, the building was completed in 1952 and by 1963 a gymnasium, cafeteria and other additions were made.

 Kate Smith Becomes Principal

The elementary and high school classes were under the same principal until 1949, when Mrs. Kate McSween Smith, known to all as “Sister Kate,” became principal of the elementary school.  During the 1951-1952 school term Mrs. Smith died, and it was during this time that a new elementary school was built.  Philip Rountree was appointed principal when the new school opened in 1963 and the school was named “Kate M. Smith Elementary School” in memory of Sister Kate, who had been a first grade teacher for many years in Chipley.

The first year in the new building necessitated transportation by bus for children back to the old school for lunch. 

In the beginning, grades one and two were moved to the new building, then others followed, and a library and lunchroom were provided.

Kate M. Smith elementary School gained widespread recognition as an outstanding school for this area.

Those who have served as principals include: Philip Rountree, Kelly Brock, Pat Wilson, and Calvin Stevenson.

Following completion of the new Kate M. Smith Elementary School, the north building of the old high school was demolished, and the south building was used as a junior high school.  Later, the south building was also torn down, and the bell that had been there for many years was moved to a church.

By unanimous decision, the school board sold the bell to the Chipley Free Will Baptist Church for $15.

A new Washington County school district office with a large parking area now occupies the lot where the former buildings stood.  

The Methodist Church of Chipley

The exact date on which the Chipley First Methodist Church was founded is unknown. 

Early members remember that the first Methodist preacher here was Rev. W. H. Windham, who served the Holmes Valley Circuit and held services in Chipley in the schoolhouse.

The first written records, from 1887, show that the Chipley Methodist Church was one of seven churches that made up the Campbellton Circuit, Marianna District.  During that time, Rev. D. C. Stanley was pastor and Rev. J. W. Glenn was the presiding elder.  In 1887 the pastor and presiding elder were paid a total of $623.83 for their services.

In early 1889, a cyclone blew down the existing church building and it was rebuilt the same year on the corner of what is now the courthouse lawn.

From 1889 to 1892 the number of churches in the district increased from seven to nine, and in 1891, the presiding elder took up a collection for missions at the district conference and received $2,000, a large sum for that day and time.

Sometime between 1896 and 1900, while the Rev. R. A. Foster was pastor, the name of the circuit was changed to the Chipley Circuit.

Current Church Built In 1903

The current church building, that stands at the top of a hill along Highway 90 just one block from downtown Chipley, was started when Rev. G. N. Winslett (father of the late Edith Stokes ca. 1982) was assigned to the church in 1903.  Winslett was known in the area as a builder and it is said that a great deal of the original work he did with his own hands.

The church bell was installed in the belfry at the time the church was constructed and was actively used by the church to call its members to worship on Sundays until remodeling of the sanctuary during the 1960s.

The spires for the steeple of the current church were constructed by hand and welded by E. M Fowler, a local blacksmith and father of Roland Fowler, a Chipley city councilman in the early 1980s.

The windows in the church were called “art glass.”  The windows were made from granite glass imported from Antwerp, Belgium.  “Art glass” is a process of fusing together small pieces of granite glass to form a picture or a design.

In the 1950s, the adhesive material binding the granite glass pieces together was deteriorating and the windows started separating.  A craftsman from Daytona Beach was hired to reconstruct the windows and seal them in their present glass cases to preserve them.  The windows are unique in that most churches use cathedral glass in stained glass windows. 

The original solid oak pews that were placed in the church in 1907 are still being used today.

The pipe organ was installed in the 1930s and was still the only pipe organ in Chipley as of 1982.  Several years prior to 1982, the organ was reworked, redesigned, and a new console added, along with new pipes build into an alcove, rising high above the choir area, creating an impressive architectural backdrop for the sanctuary.

Rev. Winslett also built the first Parsonage in Chipley.  Construction on the Parsonage was completed during the tenure of Rev. R. C. Williams, who served from 1907-1910.  In 1912 the Chipley-Bonifay charge was organized.

Members of the First Board of Stewards for the Chipley church were: J. J. (Chub) Williams, J. T. Gowen, Sr., Angus I. Miller, J. W. Williams, Dr. W. E. Coleman and W. O. Butler.

Chipley became a station in 1922 with Rev. C. P. Atkinson as its first full-time minister.  The church purchased the Winslett property in 1923-24, and the original parsonage built in 1888 was used as Sunday school rooms until a fellowship hall could be built.

Construction on the fellowship hall began in 1937 and was completed and dedicated that year debt-free.  The building committee consisted of Angus I. Miller, J. T. Bowen Sr. and W. T. Laney.

A new parsonage was built in 1956 (which serves as the parsonage today).  The Rev. Lloyd W. Kimbrough was in charge and lived in the new parsonage for a year.

Rev. Lloyd W. Tubb, who came to Chipley in 1961, directed an extensive remodeling of the sanctuary. 

Contributions To The Sanctuary Included:

The Willing Workers Sunday Sunday-School Class presented the pulpit Bible in 1957.

The altar set, given in memory of J. J. (Chub) Williams by his children Dr. and Mrs. Neal Williams and Mr. And Mrs. Byron (Nellie Williams) Carter.

His wife and children gave the offering plates in memory of L. D. McRae.

The Laney family gave the baptismal bowl in memory of W. T. Laney.

Mrs. Lena Bowen and her children presented the communion set in memory of J. T. Bowen.

Mrs. Julia Daniel was the principal contributor in the presentation of the chimes in 1947.  The chimes were given in memory of the following men who died in battle combat during World War II. Billie McCrary, Theodore Kirkland, Billie McCrae, Lehmon Cooper, Quinton Cooper, James Hudson, and Henry Hudson. The Rev Lee Allen and his wife Jenny are currently serving as Pastors for the Chipley First Methodist Church (2003). 

The current Methodist website can be found on the Worship page.

First Baptist Church Founded In 1887 

First Baptist Church of Chipley was organized in 1887 with 19 charter members.  These original members petitioned the West Florida Baptist Association for membership during the 41^st annual session meeting with the Magnolia Baptist Church in Calhoun County, October 12-13, 1887.

Rev. T. E. Langley was the first pastor.  He and the 19 charter members first met in a two-room school building on the site where the Washington County Courthouse now stands on Highway 90 and South Third Street.

The property deed on which the first church building was erected, was purchased for $150.  This property, located on the North East corner of Highway 90 and South Fifth Street, was acquired from Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Dekle on October 14, 1901.

Dr. S. B. Rogers, third pastor of the Chipley Baptist Church, drew blueprints for the auditorium; the story is that he sketched the plans at the kitchen table in the home of Mrs. W. O. Butler.  In 1901, under the direction of Dr. Rogers, the auditorium was built.  The church was dedicated in 1902.

The first Sunday School was organized in 1897, and its first Superintendent was J. D. Forester.  The six-point record system for the Sunday school program was adopted in June, 1922.

In the summer of 190l, the first Woman’s Missionary Society was organized in this church.  There were five charter members:  Mrs. Nita Boyd, Mrs. E. N. Dekle, Mrs. Josie Daniel, Mrs. J.D. Forester and Mrs. Faust. 

The Woman's Missionary Society first sponsored the Sunbeams in 1910.  The girl’s auxiliary was organized in 1922 and the young women’s auxiliary was first organized in 1926.

The church training program of the First Baptist Church was organized in 1909 as the Baptist Young People’s Union.

The earliest record book of a business meeting available to FBC is dated 1913.  It was that year that the church began to meet every Sunday instead of meeting twice a month for worship services.

Bro and Mrs. George Gay now own the first pastorium built by the First Baptist Church.  It is located at 305 South Fifth Street and was built in 1913 at a cost of between $1,800 and $2,000.

In 1924, FBC purchased the Hutchinson building adjoining the church on the north side.  At the time it was purchased, Southern Bell Telephone company occupied a portion of the building and continued to occupy it until 1959.

The opera seats in the auditorium were replaced with pews, and the Hammond organ was purchased in either 1938 or 1939. 

In 1941-42, an addition was made to the old telephone building.  Space for three Sunday School departments, a kitchen and recreational room were added.  An educational addition was completed in 1951 on the east side of the church.  At this time the church was air-conditioned and remodeled, including a new baptistery.

Between 1950-1954, FBC had its own radio station – WXAD.  It was built by Charles Hughson and used exclusively for religious programs.

In the mid-1950s, FBC was giving 25 percent of the church income to the cooperative program.  This was the highest percentage given by any church in the state for several years.

The church voted to sponsor a brotherhood on February 8, 1956.  Al Lowe was the first brotherhood president.  The first Royal Ambassador group sponsored by the brotherhood was organized in 1957 with Bill Lee as the first elected leader.

The interior of the pastorium was completely remodeled in the mid-1950s.  In 1959, the rock wall in front of the church was removed and a giant oak tree, also in front of the church, was removed in 1960.

The exterior and interior of the church was remodeled in 1962.  Red brick was added to the outside of the church, covering the original yellow brick, to match the educational building to the east side of the church.

During the early pastorate of Rev. George Gay, the Sunday School had the highest attendance in history, 458.  It was at this time that George Jones was employed as the first full-time Music Education Director.

In June of 1973, the pastorium on South Fifth Street was sold to Bro and Mrs. George Gay for their retirement home.  The new pastorium on North Boulevard West was completed in August 1974.   It was built by Strickland and Son Construction Company at a cost of $56,240.  The property upon which the pastorium was built was purchased from Mr. And Mrs. H. R. Adolph Phares, and the Phares family were the first to live in the new pastorium.

In 1976, FBC purchased property on the corner of South Boulevard and Fourth Street whereon to build a new church.  This property was purchased from Cary Everit for $33,000, and a lot joining on the north side of this property was also purchased from Glover Usery.

The church agreed to purchase the Alford House and property joining the church site on the west side on South Boulevard for $45,000 on September 5, 1976.

Pearson, Humphries, Jones & Associates, Inc. of Montgomery, Alabama, were hired as Architects at a cost of 8 percent of the total cost of building.  American Heritage Bond Company was secured to coordinate the sale of $300,000 in bonds.  Kolmetz Construction Co. of Panama City was hired to build a new church plant.

On November 8, 1978, Mrs. Roy Chance was elected as church historian.  She presented a historical slide and sound presentation to the congregation on November 18, 1979 before moving into the new church building.

The congregation held it first services in the new church on December 2, 1979.  The first day in the new building began with a brotherhood breakfast; the women were invited and provided the program that emphasized the foreign mission work of the church.  

The current First Baptist Church website can be found on the Worship page.

  First Presbyterian Church

 The First Presbyterian Church of Chipley was organized on October 18, 1896, by the Reverent L. H. Wilson, a Presbyterian evangelist of Florida.  There were 13 charter members; David Andrews, Mrs. Hannah E. Andrews, J.P. Schell, George W. Johnston, Mrs. Frances W. Andrews, Mrs. Lizzie Schell, Thomas E. Andrews, Roy Andrews, Harry A. Schell, Walter H. Johnston and Fred F. Schell.

Services were held in the Methodist and Baptist churches until May of 1904, when the first church building, located on Watts Avenue, was completed.  This is where the present Wesley Seay home stands (this home was rebuilt from the old church).  The sanctuary was dedicated in the fall of 1904.  In 1926, a break manse was built.

Later, as the congregation grew, a new brick building was constructed on fifth Street and was dedicated in 1938.  This structure was considered adequate by the members until the late 1950s, when it was decided additional education space was needed.  This construction was completed in 1958.

From its time of organization, the church has had an active Sunday School program.  The Women of the Church organization has been active since 1919.

The pastors who have served the FPC are:  Rev. L. H. Wilson, 1896-1900: Rev. G. W. Wallace, 1900-1901: Rev. J. W. Laferty, 1901-1904: Rev. A. C. Dolphy, 1904-1905: Rev. J. W. Roseborough, 1905-1906:  Rev. Clyde Johnson, 1906-1913:  Rev. F. F. Schell, 1913-1920:  Rev. T. C. DeLaney, 1920-1924:  Rev. W. H. Eubanks, 1925-1926: Rev. C. B. Ratchfield, 1927-1932:  Rev. J. V. Logan, D. D., 1933-1941: Rev. John Morrison, 1942-1943:  Rev. A. L. McDuffie, 1943-1958.  Rev. Woodrow McKay, 1958-1964:  Rev. William Bodiford, 1965-1966: Rev. Bert C. Swearingen, 1968-1975: Rev. Al Hoyer, 1975-1980: Rev. Hubert C. Shelton was serving in 1982 when this history was written.

Services are held each Sunday morning at 11 a.m., proceeded by Sunday School at 9:30.  There is a full program for youth and adults on Sunday evenings beginning at 4 p.m.  Sunday School and chapel also are held each Sunday at Sunny Hills.