Lingle Hut restoration effort provides snapshots into Davidson history

aShortChronicle previously told readers about the effort to restore the "Lingle Hut" at Reeves Temple AME Zion Church on Watson Street in Davidson.  That effort has now moved into a serious fundraising phase with a series of meetings set for every other Thursday at the Davidson Library.

As this project moves forward, it provides an opportunity to showcase a bit if history here in Davidson through the stories that can be told surrounding this building.

There is no place better to start those stories than with Castella Conner, Trustee Chair of the church.  In fact the story of why the building is called the "Lingle Hut" starts with Conner's family.  aShortChronicle caught up with Conner at Reeves Temple Monday evening as she was preparing for an evening session of Vacation Bible School.  The children attending VBS used to meet in the Lingle Hut until it fell into disrepair.  Connor says they now use the basement of the church.

The story of how the church's meeting space came to be called the Lingle Hut begins with the Conner family's connections to Davidson College.  Both Castella Conner and her brother work there.  Their parents were long-time employees as well. Castella's mother Cecilia Conner and her father Talmadge Conner Sr worked for Davidson College for about 30 and 40 years each.

Cecilia Connor passed away last year at 100 years and 5 months of age.  But, back in the 1960's while at the College she read regularly to Merle Lingle, wife of College President Walter Lingle.  Merle Lingle was bedridden at the time.  Through that relationship Cecilia Conner let it be known that her church congregation was in the process of trying to buy the property on Watson Street.  A generous donation from Ms Lingle's son was able to put that fundraising effort over the top, and the Reeves Temple congregation moved into the church on Easter Sunday 1966.  As part of receiving the donation, the church renamed the structure used for fellowship as "The Lingle Hut".

Now, more than 50 years later the Hut is in need of significant repair to restore it to life - to allow it to once again be used for things like Bible School, dinners, Christmas festivals and more.

The effort to restore the building starts with repairs to the foundation.  Those are estimated to cost roughly $20,000.  Nearly, $9,000 has been raised so far, so the effort is well on its way.

If you are interested in getting involved and helping bring back some Davidson town history, stop by the Davidson Library this Thursday at 630pm.  A group of church members and other citizens will be holding planning meetings there every two weeks to get this project off the ground.

You can also donate to the effort here:

https://www.paypal.me/reeveslinglehut

Follow the project on Facebook here:

The Lingle Hut Renovation