The first Campbellsville community Methodist Church was organized around 150 years ago. For many years a small band of Methodists worshiped in a log school building on Big Dry Creek, two miles from Campbellsville.  In 853 they organized the Salem Methodist Church with David Jones as its first pastor.

The congregation worshiped in the old structure until the end of the War Between the States. Then a frame house of worship was erected on a nearby site and was at that time dedicated to the Conference.  Salem became one of the strongest rural churches of the section.  This was in 1880.

For some time, the Salem Church worshiped with the Cumberland Presbyterians at Campbellsville.  The two congregations remained together until a new site was procured and a new house of worship could be built in 1915.  R. M. Chenault succeeded J. K. Lee as pastor and saw the new church completed.  He was the first pastor to preach from the pulpit.

The name of the church was changed from Salem Methodist Church to Campbellsville Methodist Church in 1941.  MORE

     Hamilton Crockett Campbell, James Hannah and a Mr. Roper came down the Bumpass Trail and settled near a large spring, which today bears Campbell's name.  The settlement became known as Campbellsville, and has continued to this day.
     These early settlers began holding worship and prayer meeting in their homes; and started camp meetings during the summer under the trees.  They soon started a brush arbor meeting in a grove east of the spring, known as Poplar Grove; by 1820 a log church building had been constructed at that location, which became known as the Poplar Grove Church. MORE