One Of The Oldest Churches In Georgia Was Home To One Of The First Black Congregations In The Country
By Lisa Sammons|Published August 24, 2023
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Lisa Sammons
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Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
One of my favorite things about life in the Peach State is how much history in Georgia there is. From Civil War museums to ancient Native American mounds and colonial-era taverns, there are so many places you can visit within our state that have been around for lifetimes. One of the oldest currently-standing buildings in Georgia is the Springfield Baptist Church in Augusta, GA. It’s home to one of the very first Black congregations in the country and possibly even the very first. This is a beautiful building with a fascinating history.
The Springfield Baptist Church was built in 1801. It's built in the New England meetinghouse style, which is very unusual for the South.
While this isn't the oldest extant building in Georgia (that honor goes to Jekyll Island's Horton House, constructed in 1743), it's thought to be the tenth-oldest.
The series of meetings took place a year after President Lincoln's assassination. Both freedman and white men attended the meetings and discussed various issues of the day, including relations between the races.
Springfield Baptist Church was also the founding place of Morehouse College, one of the country's most famous historically black colleges.
The school was originally called Augusta Institute and was founded in 1867. It was moved to Atlanta in 1879 and later renamed.
The congregation here predates the church. It formed sometime around 1773, making it possibly the very oldest African American congregation in the United States.
It's worth noting that several churches in other states also claim this title. With it being so far back in history, unfortunately there just aren't enough concrete records to know for sure.
Just beside the church is the 2.5-acre Springfield Village Park, which contains several historical plaques, a fountain, and a 45-foot abstract sculpture.
This is such a beautiful place to visit and reflect.
Have you ever heard of the Springfield Baptist Church in Augusta, GA, or seen it in person? The Garden City has so much history here! If you’re interested in staying for a few days, check out the Olde Town Inn. It’s right in the heart of the city’s historic district and makes for a perfect home base for your travels.
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