Group starts renovating historic Crownover Chapel for community use

Danielle Crownover Meredith stands by the two front doors of Crownover Chapel in Fairland north of Marble Falls. The doors were due to be replaced in December as the Friends of Crownover Chapel group continue its plans to restore the building for public use. The historic marker on the front was granted by the Texas Historical Commission in 1972. Staff photo by Suzanne Freeman
The future is looking up for the 154-year-old Crownover Chapel in Fairland north of Marble Falls. Long-planned renovations are taking place as money is raised by a newly formed nonprofit, Friends of Crownover Chapel. The group’s long-term goal is to open the one-room house of worship to exhibits, meetings, weddings, and funeral and memorial services.
“I think it’s a heritage that needs to be preserved,” said Danielle Crownover Meredith, whose great-great-grandfather Arter Crownover helped build the church and preached the first sermon there. “I like to know where I came from and why I am where I am.”
Crownover Chapel served as both church and school and was the first public building erected by settlers in Backbone Valley. Construction began in 1859 but was interrupted by the Civil War (1861-65). The building was completed in 1870 when Pastor Crownover of Methodist Episcopal Church South began preaching there.
The chapel sits on 7 acres of land donated to Backbone Valley in 1859 by Senia Barton Harvey, an heir to settler Jefferson Barton. The earliest grave in the adjacent Fairland Cemetery, part of the donated acreage, is dated 1872, according to a survey in the USGenWeb Archives.The Texas State Historical Association lists 1857 as the earliest grave, but the cemetery was not established until 1872. It has around 350 graves and still accepts burials.
Meredith became actively involved in supporting the chapel and cemetery when she was asked to participate in dedicating a historic marker. One of the first markers granted by the Texas Historical Commission was placed on the building in 1972. Because of her Crownover connection, Meredith is now on the boards of three cemetery associations, including Comanche Creek Cemetery in Blanco County, where Arter Crownowner is buried.
The Fairland Cemetery Association continues to meet in Crownover Chapel despite the lack of electricity or running water. Until recently, members had to step carefully around decaying floorboards. That problem was solved in October after the Burnet County Historical Commission donated $7,000 to restore the wood flooring.
“The BCHC was informed that the chapel was in dire condition,” commission President Rachel Bryson said. “Fortunately, the BCHC has designated funds that are not tax funds for such projects, and a donation was approved for refurbishing the floor of the historic chapel.”
Immediately after the floors were completed, the chapel’s two front doors were replaced at a cost of $1,500. Money was also spent on security cameras that have successfully discouraged vandalism.
Work on the building couldn’t get serious, however, until the Friends group was set up and established as a 501(c)(3) separate from the cemetery association. That happened in 2023. An IRS code, 501(c)(3), is a tax-exemption status for charitable, religious, educational, and other types of nonprofits.
“You can’t get a grant if you are not a 501(c)(3),” said Marianne McEwin, a great-great-granddaughter of Samuel E. Holland, another early Burnet County settler with links to the cemetery and chapel. “We need to fix the ceiling, put in new drywall, and replace two windows for security.”
Now an official nonprofit, Friends of Crownover Chapel is actively applying for grant money to hook up electricity and water and build a restroom. The group raises money through its annual membership fees of $30 for individuals and $50 for families.
Donations are also welcome and may be mailed to: Friends of Crownover Chapel, c/o Marianne McEwin, 2350 CR 341, Marble Falls, TX 78654, which is not the chapel’s location.
Crownover Chapel is next to Fairland Cemetery at 4601 CR 122 in Marble Falls.
Those interested in restoring the chapel, like BCHC president Bryson, said preserving local history is important for a community, particularly one like Burnet County with such a rich past.
“There is an old saying that stays in the back of my mind: ‘ … You don’t know where you are going if you don’t know where you have been,’” Bryson said. “It was the first church in Burnet County where land was donated by a group of people who wanted to look to the future, not only for themselves but for those who followed. It was for the children to learn; it was a place of worship, weddings, funerals, and a gathering place for the entire community.”
With a little help from its Friends, Crownover Chapel will be that heritage-rich community meeting place once again.