Malone Chapel

               Malone Chapel in the park is a replica of 1902 Mt. Pleasant Church

​In 1887 Semmes log cabin school was located on the townships sixteenth section of land which was required by law to be set aside for schools. Highway AL42 now known as U.S. Hwy 98 connecting Mobile to Mississippi ran thru the center of this section. It was the custom in early pioneer days in Alabama for schools to be the center of activity of the community.  Church was often held in the school.  Mt Pleasant Baptist Church began in the log cabin school.  
 
 As the community population grew the church grew and service moved to various locations.  The first move was in the place of Mrs. Turner Strike off of the G M & O railroad.
The next move was 1.2 miles northeast of the original location. In those days land was so plentiful that when people wanted to build a church they picked out the land and began to build without finding out if someone owned the land.    A couple from the north came down and laid claim to the property. This was around 1900.

 Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Harroun had moved here by this time and invited the church to meet in their barn.  After meeting for a time in the barn, the church began to look for other locations.

Thomas Jefferson Howell, a local lumber baron came to the rescue of the need for a new school and new church buildings by donating one acre of land with the stipulation that a new school was to be built on ½ acre and a church on ½ acre.  This land was located close to the new center of town which was the railroad and is the location of Semmes Heritage Park today. 

Malone chapel is a replica of Mount Pleasant Baptist that has the original bell in the belfry. The inside of church looks as it did in 1902 except it has electricity, modern restrooms, and central heat and air and is available to rent for weddings and other events.

Please Note!
Mt. Pleasant Church was renamed in 1904 to Semmes First Baptist. The church moved once again in 1930 to its present location.