Oak Grove stands at the end of a lonely dirt road in rural Screven County, not far from the Savannah River and the South Carolina state line. It’s as perfect a setting for such a place as one could imagine. Established in the first generation after slavery, the congregation dates to 1876. The first church built here is now lost to history, but was likely of crude construction. The present structure, which is critically endangered and probably beyond saving, was built in 1919. It was in use until the 1970s or early 1980s. The congregation survives at another location today.
Nothing remains inside the church but the ruins of a York Player Piano. I would advise strongly against entering due to the instability of the structure.
It is strange to me that there is an earlier “Oak Grove Methodist Church” in Screven County. The Oak Grove still active is close to the Cooperville, GA signal light (the only one!) and was incorporated in 1852 by my gr gr gr grandmother and several other families from the SE portion of Screven County, Georgia.
It is indeed interesting that there was another congregation with the same name. Quite a mystery.
This is the kind of run down building I wish I had seen years ago. It would have made for a beautiful home!
The architecture is almost identical to the Herod Baptist church. Your pictures are wonderful. I’ve always loved driving back roads and seeing the old buildings- and they are vanishing, Thank you for preserving them, at least in pictures; maybe they will be more valued because of your photos.
Can someone rebuild like the original ? I like the building the way it is. I am surprised it lasted this long !!