By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Nashville, Tenn.–The Tennessee Historical Commission Review Board Wednesday approved Quinn Chapel AME’s nomination for the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination now will be submitted to the National Park Service, which will determine National Register status.
A contingent of Quinn Chapel members attended the meeting in person and Rev. John Dandridge described the group as ‘enthusiastic’ upon the board’s vote. Quinn Chapel’s former pastor, Brother Otto Duncan, was among those in the contingent.
The group could have watched the meeting on Zoom, but Rev. Dandridge said they preferred to be there in person. All were wearing t-shirts that read, “Rooted in Christ” on the front and “Quinn Chapel Est. 1867″ on the back.
‘We were there to answered the board’s questions”, Rev. Dandridge said, “and they were fully satisfied with our nomination.”
Quinn Chapel was built in 1917 and the parsonage was built circa 1910 and are located at 216 Church St. The original Quinn Chapel church building was constructed in 1868 and was located at the intersection of Curtis and Draper Streets. Quinn Chapel moved to its current location in 1908.
Current pastor is Rev. John Dandridge, who submitted research on the history of the church which is included in the nomination papers.
The original church burned down in 1916 and the current church completed in 1917. The church was expanded in the 1960s as the congregation grew. The church is located next to Paris City Cemetery.
According to the narrative in the application, Quinn Chapel holds historical significance in the lives and history of the local African-American community.
According to the Tennessee Historical Commission, Quinn Chapel was eligible for inclusion on the National Register due to the local signficance in the African-American community’s ethnic, social and religious history. It noted after review of the application that it was built for one of the oldest AME congregations in the area and has served as a focal point for significant gatherings and community events over the decades.
Photo: The Quinn Chapel contingent, with Rev. Dandridge at left, with Brother Otto Duncan at right.