1958 · Silver Lake / Eglon area
Our Lady of the Pines Opens at Silver Lake
Peter and Elizabeth “Beanie” Milkint completed Our Lady of the Pines, a tiny sandstone chapel near Eglon, as a memorial to their parents. Measuring 24 by 12 feet outside, its sanctuary contains six stained-glass windows and six pews seating 12 worshippers. The Milkints intended it as both a place of devotion and a roadside attraction, promoting it as the “Smallest Church in 48 States.” The chapel became a popular setting for prayer, christenings, and small weddings and eventually drew tens of thousands of visitors annually.
Research status: Verified to source
- Citation / research lead
Robert Thomson, “In W.Va., a Tiny Church That Touches the Heart,” The Washington Post, August 14, 2001
No direct online link recorded for this citation. - Additional source
The Washington Post, August 14, 2001 — interviews with the Milkints’ family and neighbors
Visit source ↗ (washingtonpost.com)