​OUR STORY

A consolidated history of Campbell Chapel

Founding in 1886

Campbell Chapel AME Church's history began on August 5, 1886, when a group of Christian believers gathered in the home of Brother and Sister McGuire at 995 Delgany Street, under the name the West Side Mission. With roots in Shorter AME Church, the West Side Mission soon grew into its own congregation under the leadership of Reverend James Thomas Smith, who together with its members purchased a house at 33rd and Larimer Street to host worship and gather.

After renovating the space to accommodate a sanctuary and living quarters for the pastor, the West Side Mission was renamed Paul Quinn Mission, often referred to in newspapers of the time as Paul Quinn Chapel. The Paul Quinn Mission was admitted to the Colorado Conference of the AME Church under Bishop Thomas H.D. Ward, on the recommendation of Reverend Dr. Paul Hubbard, Presiding Elder of the Rocky Mountain District, with Reverend James Thomas Smith assigned as its first pastor.

Worship at 23rd and Lawrence

Under the leadership of Reverend James Thomas Smith, the congregation grew steadily and soon purchased a property at 23rd and Lawrence Streets. By 1901, the congregation had grown into Campbell Chapel AME Church, named in honor of Bishop Jabez Pitt Campbell, the eighth bishop of the AME Church.

Through the early 1900s, Campbell Chapel continued to grow under the leadership of various pastors, serving as a community beacon to the growing African American population within Five Points and the adjacent Whittier neighborhood. The congregation weathered the hardships of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl by coming together to pool their collective resources and sustain one another. In 1927, the Church of the Holy Redeemer departed their sanctuary at 22nd Avenue and Humboldt Street, relocating to Denver's Park Hill neighborhood. The building sat waiting, and Campbell Chapel, having outgrown 23rd and Lawrence, was ready to answer the call.

A New Home on 22nd and Humboldt

In 1934, under the leadership of Reverend Harry L. Bingham, Campbell Chapel took a defining step forward, acquiring our current building at the corner of 22nd Avenue and Humboldt Street from the Church of the Holy Redeemer congregation. Campbell chose to delay the annual anniversary observance that year, reserving the occasion for a proper homecoming in the new sanctuary. On September 2, 1934, at 2:30pm, members and the community gathered within these walls for the first time in worship, as Bishop John A. Gregg delivered the message to the congregation.

Coleman Manor on Lafayette Street

Under the leadership of Reverend D.C. Coleman, Campbell Chapel AME Church sponsored the construction of Coleman Manor, a 24-unit affordable housing complex at East 22nd Avenue and Lafayette Street. The $263,000 project, equivalent to more than $2 million today, was built on land purchased from the Denver Urban Renewal Authority, with Bertram A. Burton, Colorado's second licensed Black architect, serving as the project's architect. Coleman Manor was dedicated by Bishop Harrison J. Bryant, Presiding Bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District of the AME Church, on December 8, 1968, following Campbell's Sunday morning service. At the time, affordable housing was an emerging national priority, and Campbell Chapel was at the forefront of meeting that need in the Five Points community.

Growing the Church

In 1983, under the leadership of Reverend Dr. Ezekiel Habersham, Campbell Chapel undertook a significant expansion to better serve its growing congregation. The church's original courtyard, which separated the sanctuary from the fellowship hall, was enclosed to create dedicated spaces including a pastor's office, an administrative office, and church school classrooms for children. On March 20, 1983, at 4:00pm, the renovated sanctuary and new educational facility were dedicated by Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, Presiding Bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District of the AME Church.

Today

Although the surrounding neighborhood has changed significantly since 1934, Campbell Chapel remains the friendly church on the corner of 22nd and Humboldt, a testament to our legacy within these walls and the surrounding community.

Every project and milestone in our history was made possible by loyal and faithful lay members who gave freely of their time, talents, and treasures. We must not forget the pioneers who had little, yet sacrificed what they had to build something that would outlast them. Campbell Chapel stands today as proof that a body of Christian believers, working together for the building up of God's kingdom, can overcome any obstacle.