This classic rural Georgia church was built during the 1890s and for most of its history was home to the Dellwood M. E. and later Dellwood United Methodist Church. In recent years, it was home to the Son Light Inn congregation but appears to be empty at this time. The boxed returns on the front gable, as well as the narrow two over two windows are the distinguishing architectural features of the building.
When I encounter a place like this, I think of all the families who spent time here over the years and of how difficult it must have been to abandon the place when there weren’t enough people to keep it open. It’s perhaps the most significant historic structure remaining the Dellwood community and I hope it will be preserved.
The old church had an upright piano played by Miss Susie Overstreet (Susie Scott md Jack Overstreet but we always called our elders Miss and Mr as kids) I think the interior might have been painted green, not sure, but those rafters were high and the sound of that piano seemed heavenly to a little kid – me. We attended this church and sang there and prayed there when I was very young.
The church was indeed built, or established around the turn of the century circa 1900. It has been said that some congregation members from the Old Pine (Piney) Grove church split and built this church as a result of some sort of difference of opinions. According to an article in Emanuel Memories, the church was started in 1900 by members of Old Pine Grove church. The land was donated by Jordan Mullings and Ben Blackburn. It began as Dellwood Episcopal Church south and later became Dellwood United Methodist Church. The first pastor of record was G.T. Roberts.
The old Blackburn house still stands beside the church, though it’s original Victorian style has been renovated to brick. It had a 3/4 wrap around porch with gazebo like designs on either end. A white picket fence bordered the yard and Mrs. Blackburn enjoyed her little fish pond in front of the house, it was made from cement painted white to match the fence.
The Old Pine(Piney) Grove church stood at the northeast corner of what is now Old Wadley Rd and Hawhammock Church Rd. on land donated by John & Susannah Drew Stroud. The building was purchased during the 1950s if memory serves, was moved to a different location per oral family history.
Dellwood Methodist Church had a companion school beside it, maybe collapsed now, it wasn’t in good shape when I took photos around 2014. An uncle once told me it was where he earned his moniker “Uncle Preacher” when he was just a little fella.