"Underground Church"

January 2012- Monthly Online Showcase

This item is on display at the Beatty Museum in Beatty, Nevada and is the museum's online showcase item this month. Click on an image to see a larger version of the picture.

This mostly underground building was built in 1908 as a place to store meat and vegetables since refrigeration wasn't available at the time. Owned by H.H. Richings and his wife who operated the Beatty Cash Store also known as the "Mom & Pop Richings Store". Their store was located in the building that is now the Beatty Club on Main Street. They operated the store until 1938. In 1947
	they sold the building to Mrs. Renee C. Gibson who was Beatty's postmaster at the time. She operated it as a dance studio for the children of Beatty and as a clubhouse for them as well. It was known as the "Player's Club". Due to health reasons she curtailed activities at the studio. In 1951 Dr. Lee M. Allaire started the 'Truth Movement' in Beatty and by 1953 a small group started meeting in what was now an 'Underground Church'. Dr. Allaire passed away in 1954 and Renee took over the church having been ordained by the Unity Truth Center in Reno, Nevada. She was assisted by a retired Methodist minister named H.H. Heisler. Not currently know when the services stopped. Building is located on West Montgomery Street directly behind the Sourdough Saloon on Main Street.
By Mark Holloway with info provided	by the museum