Churches of this style are increasingly endangered. It was once common among African-American congregations in the rural South.
From the 3 December 2014 edition of the Swainsboro Forest-Blade: Many of the details of St. James A. M. E. Zion Church’s history are lost to time, but the congregation’s beginnings were in the 1890s. Sam Mitchell, who was married to Sudie Rountree Mitchell, was one of its founders, and Will Mincey was its earliest pastor. The church structure itself was built in 1908 under the leadership of Reverend J. H. Williams. The building was erected by Reverend R. Lee with the help of a group of trustees.
Hi Brian, Great photos of old churches & other structures. I may be wrong but it seems that the “steeple” was often called The WatchTower from which the faithful were watching for Christ’s promised return. It is also a strong symbol in the Jehova’s Witness followers. At least this is what I read or was told.