The Emmanuel Car was a chapel car, one of seven in the nation, that traveled throughout the country to establish an American Baptist Church (ABC). It landed in Phippsburg around the year of 1929. The ABC would establish a church on the condition that there would be no alcohol in the community, or as some say, if it was a “dry town.” With a sitting chapel inside, the car served as the small town church until 1930, when Sam Mendel built the Phippsburg Church at a cost of $1,905. On March 8, 1931, the church was dedicated and the Emmanuel Car left it’s location on the track coming into Phippsburg from Oak Creek. Unfortunately, the Phippsburg church stopped functioning in the 1970’s because of declining church parishoners. It now serves the community as a thrift shop.

The Emmanuel Car was a railroad car specifically designed to travel around and form churches. It was a big passenger car with pews, a podium in front, and living quarters in the back for the minister. It also had a chandelier, an organ, and “God is love” carved into a board above the podium.

The information was gathered with the help of The Historical Society of Oak Creek and Puippsburg, Dutch and Neva Ebaugh, Lila Rider, and Markie Williams. This description was written by Beth and Kaydee of Soroco High School, in May of 2006.