Danburg Baptist Church has its origins in one of the oldest congregations in the state. Established as Newford Baptist Church, a few miles from this location on the banks of Newford Creek, the church later changed its name to New Ford. In its early history, Black members attended, holding separate services. This was a common practice before the Civil War and by the late 1850s, Black members accounted for nearly 75% of the congregation.
In the late 1870s, white members of New Ford built this church near the Danburg crossroads and renamed their congregation Danburg Baptist. Black members purchased the New Ford church and retained the name of the original congregation.
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 
If this is the church I think it is, it sits at the top of a rise where the highway curves (US78). I have been by it many times, on my way from Savannah to visit friends in Athens. It was always a distinctive marker on that journey. I never knew its history.
Mr. Semmes, I think you’ve been seeing another equally beautiful church, Ebenezer, which is on Hwy 78 between Washington and Thomson (closer to Washington). Our church (Danburg) is on Bradford Rd., just off Ga. Hwy. 44, eleven miles north of Washington. Please come and visit us. We have an excellent Sunday School at 10 a.m., followed by preaching at 11.
Thank you for that clarification. I never knew the history behind the church I have been past many times.
I would love to visit you when I am next in that area. Unfortunately, i do not get up that way as often as I used to.
Lamar: That’s an interesting story about your grandads – that they were part of the ‘lucky’ 8% to make it back home…Do you know which Confederate regiments your grandads were members of?
I had 2 great grandads from Edison, Georgia in the Confederate Army who were among the 13 who made it to Appomattox out of 155 men who left home. Only 75 lived. It took them 30 days to walk and catch trains home. They spent the night in Danburg, and then walked into Washington, Ga to catch the train to Atlanta and down to Macon. Since 1990, about 15 family and friends and I walk 10 miles of their route home to celebrate their survival, starting at this church, several times.