We are thrilled to share an extraordinary new video that celebrates one of the most historically significant institutions in our community: Philadelphia Presbyterian Church of Mint Hill. Produced by Frederick D. Murphy, founder of the History Before Us YouTube channel, “Sacred Ground & Hard Truths: A Tour of Philadelphia Presbyterian Church (Mint Hill, NC)” is a deeply moving, beautifully conducted walking tour that brings the rich and complex history of this beloved church vividly to life. The video is 45 minutes long.
🏛️ Learn more about Philadelphia Presbyterian Church
A Church That Helped Build a Town
Philadelphia Presbyterian Church is not simply a religious institution — it is, in many ways, the founding heartbeat of Mint Hill itself. As Becky Griffin explains in the video, Mint Hill is unique among the towns surrounding Charlotte in one remarkable way: it did not grow because of a railroad. Mint Hill grew because of a church. This was also highlighted in the October 2025 episode of PBS Charlotte’s Series, “Trail of History,” titled “Boom Towns – Small Towns on the Rise.”
People began gathering on what was then called Clear Creek as early as the 1760s, decades before the United States was even a nation. The congregation that became Philadelphia Presbyterian Church has persisted through two burned sanctuaries, the American Revolution, the Civil War, a flu pandemic, and more than two and a half centuries of community life. The church’s very name comes from the Book of Revelation — a congregation with deep spiritual roots and an equally deep sense of purpose.
Three of the church’s founding members — Adam Alexander, John Foard, and John Queary — were among the signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, the bold declaration by backcountry Carolinians that predated and helped inspire the national Declaration of Independence we celebrate today. Philadelphia Church didn’t just witness history; its people helped make it.
An Unforgettable Guide: Becky Griffin
At the heart of this video is our own Becky Griffin, a founder of the Mint Hill Historical Society and a living treasure of Mint Hill history. Becky has been a member of Philadelphia Presbyterian Church for her entire 85 years — and her family’s connection to the church stretches back generations before that.
Her great-grandfather, George C.L. Junker, who emigrated from Germany, served as the church’s Clerk of Session for 40 years — a feat Becky notes with characteristic wit is nearly impossible to replicate today. Her grandfather, her parents, her children, and now her grandchildren have all called Philadelphia Church home. Becky was married in this church. She helped raise her family here. She served on the committee that collected data for the community history book Gathering on Clear Creek, written by a former pastor.
When Becky walks through the historic buildings and grounds, she isn’t reciting facts from a brochure — she is sharing her life, and the lives of everyone who came before her.
Frederick Murphy’s Thoughtful, Celebratory Storytelling
Frederick Murphy brings warmth, curiosity, and genuine enthusiasm to every episode of History Before Us, and this video is no exception. His chemistry with Becky is delightful — he listens deeply, asks exactly the right questions, and brings the kind of joyful energy that makes history feel alive and accessible rather than distant and dusty.
Frederick does an exceptional job covering the full breadth of Philadelphia Church’s story, including:
The Architecture and Artifacts. From the handsome handmade brick exterior — fired on site with help from a local Lutheran congregation who knew the craft — to the original sanctuary doors, the stained glass windows, the pipe organ, and the centuries-old pews, Frederick gives viewers a genuine sense of how much care and faith went into every corner of this place.
Community Builders. The video celebrates figures like John Bain, a bachelor church member who single-handedly built a two-story schoolhouse in 1889 that became Bain Academy, and Carl McEwen, the entrepreneur and philanthropist who started a new business in Mint Hill nearly every year for 17 years and is widely credited with helping the town prosper. The McEwen family’s roots at Philadelphia Church — and their legacy in the Charlotte funeral home business — are a remarkable story of faith, community, and generational commitment.
Traditions Great and Small. Becky describes “dinner on the grounds” — the beloved homecoming tradition still practiced today — alongside the charming story of the Bain Cane, the gold-topped walking cane originally given to John Bain in 1889 and now passed annually to the church’s oldest male member. (And yes, the women of the congregation eventually claimed their own cane, too — a hand-carved gift from the Julia Black family, now carried each year by the oldest female member.)
The Church’s Living Ministry. Philadelphia Church today is as active as ever: a weekday kindergarten program, active Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, an AA program with its own dedicated space, a backpack program, and a food kitchen that reflects the congregation’s deep and ongoing commitment to serving the Mint Hill community.
Confronting Hard Truths: The Enslaved Gallery
What makes this video especially powerful — and earns its title — is Frederick Murphy’s thoughtful and unflinching attention to the history of enslaved African Americans at Philadelphia Church.
The original 1826 sanctuary still stands on the church grounds, and within it, the balcony where enslaved people were required to sit is still visible. Becky shows Frederick where a separate exterior entrance once existed — now bricked over, its outline still clearly visible on the handsome old wall — through which enslaved individuals entered the building and climbed to the balcony above.
Frederick handles this history with tremendous care and respect. He notes that he had just visited another historic church with a similar enslaved gallery, connecting these architectural features to a broader pattern of segregated worship across the antebellum South. He asks directly whether the church has records of the names of people who were enslaved there — and Becky confirms that yes, Philadelphia Church does have records, referencing the detailed historical research documented in Gathering on Clear Creek.
There is also the poignant detail of a pine slab in the church’s historical room — possibly a grave marker for an enslaved person buried in one of the church’s cemeteries — a quiet, humble artifact representing lives that deserve to be remembered and honored.
This portion of the tour is a model for how communities can engage with difficult history: not with shame or defensiveness, but with honesty, dignity, and a commitment to making sure these stories are told and not forgotten.
A Legacy Worth Celebrating
Philadelphia Presbyterian Church has stood at the center of Mint Hill life for more than 260 years. It has educated children, buried the dead, married couples, sustained families through hardship, and welcomed generations of neighbors into its fellowship. Its endowment — built through the generosity of members like the Junker family and many others — continues to fund college scholarships for local students and support community mission work.
This video is a gift to everyone who loves Mint Hill and cares about preserving the stories that made our community what it is today. We are deeply grateful to Frederick D. Murphy for bringing his talent, his warmth, and his commitment to celebrating underrepresented and local history to Philadelphia Presbyterian Church — and to Becky Griffin for sharing her life, her memories, and her remarkable family’s legacy with all of us.
Please watch, share, subscribe to History Before Us, and leave a comment on the video if you have family ties to Philadelphia Church or Mint Hill, are moved by its messages or have questions to ask. These stories deserve to be heard.
The Mint Hill Historical Society is dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and sharing the rich history of our community. Learn more at minthillhistory.com.
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