Volunteers plant roots at Reaves Chapel

NAVASSA, NC (WWAY) – Volunteers gathered at Reaves Chapel in Navassa to help restore the chapel.

The event was hosted by the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. Volunteers took part in tree planting, landscaping, and sprucing up the chapel’s exterior.

The Coastal Land Trust, which has protected over 90,000 acres in North Carolina, is working to restore Reaves Chapel.

Built in the late 1800s by formerly enslaved Gullah Geechee laborers, the chapel holds deep historical significance. Its restoration is vital to preserving the legacy of the community it represents.

Jesica Blake, Associate Director of the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, shared her thoughts on the community’s support. “Its ties to Gullah history are one of the many reasons that Reaves Chapel is incredibly important, and seeing the volunteers put trees in the ground and their hands into the dirt to make this a place that people can come visit for years to come is really important and really gratifying.”

The restoration of Reaves Chapel is a collaborative project between the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and the Cedar Hill West Bank Heritage Foundation. Together, they are ensuring this important historic site will be preserved for future generations.