
Coastal Land Trust / Cedar Hill West Bank Partnership
The Coastal Land Trust and Cedar Hill/West Bank Heritage Foundation are pleased to announce that one of the Cape Fear region’s most culturally and historically significant African American structures, Navassa’s Reaves Chapel, has been purchased by the Coastal Land Trust. The purchase of Reaves Chapel was made possible thanks to a generous grant from The Orton Foundation.
“The Coastal Land Trust is thrilled to have been asked to help save Reaves Chapel,” said Camilla Herlevich, Executive Director of the Coastal Land Trust, “because of our more recent expanded focus on community conservation and serving communities that have not traditionally benefitted from land trust work. We are especially appreciative of the support and encouragement from The Orton Foundation, whose grant made this purchase possible.”
We couldn’t be more excited about finally acquiring this irreplaceable community treasure,” But we all know that the real work has just begun. We hope to clean up, repair, stabilize, and restore Reaves Chapel so that it can be a gathering place for the community once again. With our partners at Cedar Hill/West Bank Heritage Foundation, we will be seeking advice, assistance, and expertise—not to mention donations and grants—in the days and months ahead.”
“When the Coastal Land Trust purchased Reaves Chapel in 2019, we embarked on a project unlike any we’ve done before”, said Jesica Blake, Associate Director of Stewardship and Community Conservation. “The protection of this historic church in Brunswick County expanded how we conserve special places and who benefits from our conservation work. When first introduced to the Chapel by Al Beatty, president of the Cedar Hill West Bank Heritage Foundation, and Navassa Mayor, Eulis Willis, there was no question about whether or not the Coastal Land Trust would step in to help.”