PALMYRA TWP. — A 164-year-old former church in Palmyra now has a new lease on life as an event center, thanks to a local first responder and schoolteacher who wanted to see the integrity of the building maintained.
Brian and Dawn Wilcox of Blissfield took an interest in buying the former Palmyra Presbyterian Church when it went up for sale after the last service was held on December 31, 2023. They purchased the building in October 2024. After renovating the main floor of the former church, they started taking rentals in February of this year.
The Palmyra Presbyterian Church was founded in 1836 by a group of 16 people from congregations in Blissfield, Adrian and Tecumseh. According to the Michigan Historical Site marker in front of the building, the congregation originally met in a schoolhouse, and later built their first church in 1842-1843. Construction at the final location on Palmyra Road was completed in 1861. Most of the materials for the church’s construction were donated. The building was originally designed in the form of a New England meetinghouse, according to the marker, and has been remodeled several times throughout the years.
The Wilcoxes said their goal is to keep the building in good condition, and to use it in a way that continues to serve the community.
“It’s a beautiful building, and you hate to just see a beautiful building like this sit and deteriorate,” Dawn said.
After watching a lot of “do it yourself” shows on television, “we took a chance and bought it,” Brian said. The renovations so far include new flooring and new paint on the walls and ceiling of the main floor.
“We didn’t want to make any major changes,” Brian said. “We wanted to keep the character as historic as we can.”
Most of the pews were sold, but the Wilcoxes kept a few “to keep the history” of the building, Brian said. The stained glass windows and balcony rail remain in their original condition. Currently, they are working on remodeling the basement kitchen, which is currently usable but “a work in progress,” Brian said.
Lifes Little Moments Event Center can comfortably seat 80 to 100 people. Tables, chairs and tablecloths are provided. The kitchen area has a stove, refrigerator and counter space for electric appliances. The Wilcoxes said that the basement area will be available for full use once the renovations are complete. An elevator is also available.
Along with the rental area on the main floor, the former “crying room,” adjacent to the main room, now serves as a play area for kids, complete with little tents, coloring books, and board games to keep the kids entertained while attending an event with their parents.
“Sometimes people are at an event and kids just don’t have much to do,” Dawn, who teaches in the Ypsilanti Lincoln school district, said.
Rental fees range from $150 for a kids’ birthday party to $1,000 for a full weekend. Special discounts are given to first responders and Palmyra residents. Food and alcohol are allowed, within the bounds of state law.
More information about Lifes Little Moments Event Center can be found on Facebook. The Wilcoxes can be reached by Facebook message, by phone at 517-605-2455, or by email at [email protected].
