Surrounded by picturesque views of marsh and creek, the charming one-room Pawleys Island Chapel, also known as Pawleys House of Worship, is an iconic structure that attracts locals and tourists of all denominations.
Photographers and artists are also drawn to the chapel for its historical appeal and its juxtaposition against the idyllic sunsets for which the area is renowned. “The chapel means a lot to so many people,” said Betsy Altman, owner of Pawleys Island Real Estate Company. “And all are welcome here.”
Once a Pentecostal Holiness Church in neighboring Georgetown, the chapel was deconstructed by the Georgetown Laymen’s Evangelistic Club (chartered in 1945) and moved to Pawleys where in 1946 it was rebuilt on marshland donated by Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Porter who lived across the street. Listed in the deed for the chapel is a condition that the structure could be used “for the sole and only purposes of religious worship.”
A member of the Evangelistic Club, Mr. J. M. Layton, who was also a summer resident of the island and owner of Layton Real Estate on Pawleys, took responsibility for maintaining the chapel alongside several ministers and laymen who came from Georgetown to operate Sunday services. When Layton retired in 1970, Linwood Altman (1924-2018) bought Layton’s real estate business, now Pawleys Island Real Estate Company, with the stipulation that Altman would carry on the tradition of caretaking for the chapel. The Altmans embraced this charge as a family project and established a local board of trustees.
Like a river, the chapel’s winding story has never stood still. From 1971 to 1985, Catholics used the House of Worship for Sunday Mass. Throughout the ’70s, the chapel also invited summer student ministers from Duncan Methodist Church in Georgetown, as well as other religious organizations, to come and share their sermons. Lifelong resident and preacher Harold Lewis bookended each season. “Harold brought a lot of people to the chapel because of his great delivery and jokes,” Altman said.
From the first Sunday in June to the last Sunday in August, local and visiting preachers, several of whom are retired ministers of various denominations, vocalists and musicians, share interdenominational services at the chapel. From September to May, the chapel, which seats up to 145, can be booked for weddings (the first of which was recorded in 1971), christenings and memorial services.
“Because the chapel is a small church at the beach with serene marsh views out the window and beautiful music playing during services, it’s a peaceful retreat from the stress of everyday life,” Altman added. “It has become a casual gathering spot to relax and worship, where friends who haven’t seen each other since the previous summer can talk after the sermon and catch up. Plus, generations of locals as well as visitors have created traditions around Sunday mornings, like enjoying shrimp and grits and a mimosa before riding their bikes to church and then the beach.”
Having survived five hurricanes including Hazel, Hugo, Joachim, Matthew and Irma, the chapel has required extensive restoration over the decades, which has been financed by several hundred people as well as the Pawleys Island Rotary Club. According to Altman, Matthew was the worst storm to have impacted the building, requiring additional structural help and support. For example, in 2018, a crane had to move the chapel across the street, where the pilings were reworked to raise the structure up. Once that work was completed, the structure was moved back to its previous location and leveled so that new carpeting and a roof could be installed. Then new chairs, hymnals and a piano were purchased, thanks to the generosity of many locals and visitors.
On June 6, 2021, the chapel received a historical marker from the SC Department of Archives and History, a recognition that helps secure the building’s maintenance for federal flood regulations. “Now it’s in good shape for future generations to enjoy,” Altman said. “And it’s still standing because of the prayers from many people.”
To learn more about the chapel and reserve the space for your special occasion, visit pawleysislandrealty.com.
By Sarah Rose
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