Those who visit Ferncliff have undoubtedly seen the Ramsey Chapel, as well as the beautiful Ferncliff Labyrinth in front of it. But you may not know anything about the structures.

Ferncliff was established in 1937 and shortly after, Robert (Bob) Ramsey traveled from Jonesboro to Ferncliff for a retreat. Ramsey, who was a graduate of Davidson, felt Ferncliff needed some type of chapel and begin raising funds. By all accounts Ramsey had an infectious personality and when he entered a room his personality radiated throughout the room. Because he was well liked and respected he was successful in his fundraising efforts and the Ramsey Chapel was built in 1940. Unfortunately, Ramsey died of polio while attending Union Seminary. The Ferncliff community felt naming the chapel after Bob would be a fitting tribute and hence the name “The Ramsey Chapel”. The beautiful colored glass on the back wall of the chapel is not original to the building, but was added at a later date. The window was crafted by Rev. David Shepperson and includes the Ferncliff cross and mountains.

Almost 60 years after Ramsey Chapel was built Ferncliff and Jonesboro, the hometown of Bob Ramsey, intersected again. The leadership at Ferncliff saw an opportunity to help students from Westside Middle School after the 1998 Jonesboro school shooting. Over the next 5 years the camp expanded to include children traumatized by school shootings from areas throughout the United States, including students from Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado as well as children from Bosnia. As part of the healing process the students built the stone labyrinth located in front of Ramsey Chapel in 2001. The Ferncliff Labyrinth is not a maze since there is no dead end. Instead it consist of one circular path which leads to the center and then back out to the outer edge again.

The history of both the chapel and the labyrinth are part of the reason many people say the area has a spiritual and tranquil feel.