Sources and further reading

Where this entry comes from

Carl E. Feather, “The Small Church With a Big Heart,” Goldenseal, vol. 26, no. 1 (Spring 2000), pp. 52–56; Robert Thomson, “In W.Va., a Tiny Church That Touches the Heart,” The Washington Post, August 14, 2001

Research notes

What the evidence establishes

The date is recorded as 1958 because the Milkints’ postcard history states that the chapel was built in 1957–1958, while Carl E. Feather’s Goldenseal article says it was completed and named in 1958. No exact opening or dedication date has been located.

“Smallest Church in 48 States” is treated here as the chapel’s historic promotional claim, not a verified record. Feather noted that smaller churches existed, including West Virginia’s Little Hidden Valley Prayer Chapel, built in 1975.

Although the chapel has an Eglon mailing address and is commonly described as being in Eglon, it is physically located at Silver Lake near Horse Shoe Run. It was a privately established Catholic memorial chapel rather than a conventional parish church: Goldenseal reported no regular service schedule or membership roll, although the chapel was used for prayer, christenings, and weddings.

The principal source is Carl E. Feather’s 2000 Goldenseal article, based partly on interviews with the Milkints’ relatives and later caretakers Marie and Ellis Teets and John Cook. A 2001 Washington Post article independently corroborates the chapel’s construction, dimensions, purpose, and history.