They gathered beside the West Fork once more ...
... to fellowship and recall times gone by
The Cedar Grove Church has long been closed, but the aging structure is opened at least once a year for the annual homecoming along the waters of the lower West Fork, below the faded village of Cremo.
"Most of us have a lot of wonderful memories here," said Boyd Duskey, who grew up in the community and attended church there.
"Lots of water has come down this river since."
This last weekend, a few of the old-timers who once attended the church gathered for the homecoming.
"I came to the homecoming here when I was a boy over seventy years ago," said Duskey, who claims he is no longer a "spring chicken."
Duskey said folks came from up and down the creek and across the creek in Roane County. The late Joe Nutter said they came to worship, riding horses or on foot.
Jim McCormick, now of Grantsville, said he used to "ford" the river on his horse, even when the water was up.
"Some of those horses knew how to swim, even in the current," he said. McCormick grew up on lower Barnes Run in Roane County.
"The old church was a sacred place," said Duskey, who said the Baptist church was "stern and strict."
"When they would have a revival you couldn't find a place to stand," he said. "You could count the Model A Fords on one hand, and the rest got there the best way they could from Little Rowel, Beaver Dam and Honey Run."
The Bell Fish and Pickle Company was there Sunday, which includes not only fish, taters and pickles, but tents and reunion equipment.
The gathering enjoyed afternoon preaching, singing and the spread on the long table.
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