African Americans of different faiths began meeting in the Salem community around 1863, and from those religious gatherings Black Baptists formed Ash Grove Missionary Baptist Church. In 1905, members purchased a new three-acre lot from T.O. Lillard for fifty dollars and soon renamed the church Cherry Grove because of the many cherry trees on the property. Under the leadership of Rev. Tom A. Brown, they built a gable-front frame church in 1908 and established a cemetery. The church became a center of African American faith, education, and culture for the Salem community, a tradition that continues today.