In the beginning (1795-1800), the territory known as North Carolina was divided between the Virginia and South Carolina Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church with the Virginia Conference getting “the lion’s share” of the territory. Then in 1800 the Western Conference was formed and included all of the territory that was west of the Blue Ridge; an area which today covers 15 counties. Most of this territory being taken from the South Carolina Conference.
Then in 1824 we have the formation of the Holston Conference. This new Conference was formed from territory taken from Tennessee and South Carolina Conferences along with the inclusion of the Western Conference.
The next major change came in 1837 with the formation of the North Carolina Conference. The Virginia Conference gave up most of the area it held in North Carolina with the exception of the northeast area; an area which covers 9 counties today. Then in 1844, all of these conferences became a part of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In 1850, the South Carolina Conference gave up territory from New Hanover county to Richmond and Montgomery Counties. The South Carolina Conference continued to hold territory in the western area of North Carolina until 1870.
In 1890, the Western North Carolina Conference was formed out of the North Carolina territory of the Holston and South Carolina Conferences of the M. E. Church, South with the Virginia Conference maintaining the northeast area until 1894. The North Carolina Conference has remained much like it was in 1894 with little exception.
What is the future for the North Carolina Conference map lines; who knows but if it is like the past it will change in the future!