When completed in 1894, the Gothic Revival Chilhowie Methodist Episcopal Church was a distinctly high-style addition to the village of Chilhowie. Built of locally made golden-brown pressed brick, the church is distinguished by its literate use of Gothic forms, particularly its tall steeple and pinnacles. Such assertive, ecclesiologically-correct architecture was a striking contrast to the simple country churches prevalent in the region, churches that usually were severely plain wooden structures. Although no architect has been associated with what is now the Chilhowie United Methodist Church, the design is believed to have been influenced by E. J. Rutland, superintendent of the local brick factory. Born and raised in Sheerness, England, Rutland came to Chilhowie from Ohio in 1890 to manage the new brick plant. His familiarity with Victorian church architecture in England, where articulate Gothic design prevailed, likely shaped the appearance of this Methodist edifice.