For me, and the others like me, we know everything we photograph and write about is capturing the present so future generations may enjoy it too.  We may not think about it at the time; we may simply be enjoying the moment for what it is without thinking about the important role our actions will play for people who come after us.

Other times, I do what I call “documenting future history”.  What makes it different?  It’s making a special effort to go out and capture something we know is destined to change and document it as it stands so we have it captured as it once was.  Sometimes it is taking photos of something which, in our present, is boring or mundane.  (You’ll see an example of that coming soon here.)  Other times it is capturing something which is already historic as it stands.  That’s what we have here today — Chedderville Church.

Chedderville Church – September 7, 2018

I remember the first time I saw Chedderville.  It was in the Summer of 2000.  I was on my way north towards Rocky Mountain House to go camping for the weekend.  Coming up Highway 22 I saw the little church appear from behind a grove of trees.  Pulling a trailer meant I couldn’t stop fast enough, and the pullout on the side of the highway is far too small to accomodate any vehicle pulling a trailer anyway.  It would need to wait for another day.

Well, as often happens, another day soon turned into months and, eventually, years.  Chedderville was always one of those places I would see while racing to get somewhere else.  “Next time.  Next time.”

If you have pursued this hobby long enough, you know at some point there is no “next time”.

When I learned the Wheels of Time Museum in Caroline was trying to raise funds to move the church to the museum grounds, I knew we needed to make a special effort to get back up here and document the church as it stands.  Not that raising funds to move or preserve a historical building is easy — ask me how I know…

I didn’t do a lot of research on this place, despite knowing about it for almost two decades.  Most of what I know comes from West of the Fifth where Jenn has done much more first-hand investigation.  A couple of her facts such as the dates for construction and first burial made it into my video.  Yes, there is a video that goes with this post and, yes, it includes some more drone footage at the end.

So, if you can spare a few dollars to help save a historical church, donate to the Wheels of Time Museum here:  https://www.gofundme.com/chedderville-church-rehoming

And, if you can spare a few minutes, I’d really appreciate you checking out our visit to Chedderville in the video below.