The Reverend Ebenezer Macgowan, born in England on February 17, 1767, migrated to Virginia, was ordained by Bishop Asbury, and later settled here. In 1818 he donated land for a log meeting house named Bethel. In 1887 the present structure was built, and more than 1,500 people attended its June dedication. Bethel also included a community cemetery and a public school that operated until 1970. The Reverend Macgowan is buried nearby.