Wheatland United Methodist Church

Originally constructed in 1859 with an addition in 1912 and virtually untouched since then, Wheatland Church is the oldest Methodist church west of the Trinity River. The church was designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1965. At the start of rehabilitation, the church was not being used due to safety concerns because the sanctuary ceiling, the original rear wall (now interior), and the exterior walls showed significant deflection and structural distress, including more than 8” of sag in the sanctuary ceiling. Protecting the stained-glass windows was the first step in the rehabilitation process. After leveling the building perimeter structure, wall framing on the south wall and original west wall was exposed so that new engineered wood members and new steel columns could be introduced. Non-original wall and ceiling panels, non-original wall and ceiling papers, and interior tongue & groove siding were removed. Once exposed and braced, the framing was incrementally brought back into plumb and new framing installed. Sagging long-span joists were also replaced by new laminated veneer joists. New wall panels custom made to match the earlier profile were installed, sanctuary coffer beams reconstructed, and new ceilings were installed throughout. Three windows in the choir, previously concealed from the interior, were restored and exposed in the renovation. This project received a 2017 Preservation Achievement Award from Preservation Dallas.