It is hard to pass through the small town of Robeline without noticing the beautiful old church nestled right in the middle of town. The 138-year-old church has with stood the test of time and still stands proud welcoming tourists and travelers.
The town of Robeline was established back in 1881 when the railroad came through town. In 1883, various families and members of the community came together to build the Robeline Methodist Episcopal Church South. The cost of the build back then was around $2,500. The church was built in the Victorian Gothic Revival style, which was not a common architecture style used in Louisiana. The church is the only Victorian gothic style church in Natchitoches Parish and one of the few in the whole state. The original hand-crafted pews, pulpit furniture and velvet-covered alter rails can still be seen within the church. One of the most noticeable features is the double done reflector gasoliers.
In the 1920s, an addition was added to the back of the church. This consisted of a fellowship hall, bathroom and pastoral study. Services was discontinued in 1983 after membership dwindled to just a hand full of members. In 1987, the Los Adaes Foundation purchased the church and just a few short months later was successful in getting the church added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Foundation has been in charge of the maintenance of the church ever since. The church is used for the monthly meetings of the foundation and can be viewed by appointments.
The Los Adaes Foundation will be hosting an open house for the public Saturday, Oct. 2 from noon to 7 p.m. There will be a silent auction from noon to 6 p.m. to raise funds for church repair costs. There is also a Go Fund Me account set up and the link can be found on the church Facebook page. During the COVID pandemic, the foundation did not have monthly meetings, membership drives or fundraising events. For more information, email losadaesfoundation@gmail.com or message the Facebook page “Robeline Old Methodist Church.” Membership dues are $10 annually and renew in May each year.