Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Pecan Grove Baptist Church, located in rural Coryell County and built in 1929, has experienced numerous floods over the years from the raging flood waters of nearby Coryell Creek, and this year is no exception. The 95-year-old structure was once again flooded during the evening hours of Saturday, May 5.
During the previous seven days, portions of Coryell County had received as much as five to six inches of rain, which saturated most of the Leon River, Cowhouse Creek, Coryell Creek, Hog Creek, and Greenbriar Creek watersheds.
The resulting rain caused a historic rise in the Leon River water levels, as well as in Coryell Creek, which flows next to the Pecan Grove Baptist Church, which often uses the usually tranquil creek for baptisms.
Pastor Jeff Huckeby, who has served the church for nearly fifteen years, said that he received a phone call early Sunday morning from a church member who tried to drive out to the church to check on things. He was informed that FM 107 was closed off because the creek had come out of its banks and was across the road.
“Volunteer firemen at the scene informed us that the flood waters had come halfway up the sides of the church, and that the water was up to the bottom edge of the tabernacle roof,” Huckeby said. About mid-morning, the Oglesby Fire Department called Huckeby to inform him that the flood waters had turned over the church’s propane tank. It was leaking, and they had gone up to the church building to turn it off.
When Huckeby and his wife went back to the church about noon, the flood waters had begun to recede, and they were able to drive up to the building.
“It was quite a shock to see how much damage was done to the interior of the building. There is about an inch of silt mud on the floors. Everything that could float was tossed around and piled up – the pews, piano, hymnals, pulpit, tables, and chairs. Because the main church building was built in 1929, there are a lot of cracks and small gaps in the floor that allowed the flood waters to recede nearly as fast as they came in,” he said.
Huckeby said he had talked to members who have attended the church all their life who said this is the highest the water has ever been. The last time the church flooded was in 2015.
As for the immediate future, Huckeby said, “We’re not sure how long the restoration will take and when we can start using the building again, but we do have a large tabernacle we can use until then.”
