Established in 1842, the congregation of Elam Baptist Church was a major factor in the settlement of the surrounding area. The original church is no longer standing but congregants moved into the old school, saving it in the process.
This general/grocery store once also had gasoline pumps out front and would have been an essential stop for farmers and others in this section of southern Jenkins County.
Dottie Leatherwood, who has been a friend of Vanishing Georgia for a long time, writes: My grandfather, R.L. “Boss” Turner, owned that little country store from the 20s until, I think the 60s. I have his ledger books from the 20s and 30s. So interesting. I think the original building burned and they rebuilt. My grandparents lived across from the Elam Baptist church… I have so many fond memories of Four Points and wandering all over the fields and woods as a child. – Betty Bennett ran the store during the 80s-90s. I’m not sure who ran it during the 70s but it was open because I remember going there as a child.
My identification of this structure is tentative. It is very similar to many precinct houses I’ve photographed throughout the state.
The Four Points community is a crossroads in Jenkins County, dominated by Elam Baptist Church and its large historic cemetery. There was never a post office here and it’s hard to find on a map, but ask a local where Four Points is located and they’ll gladly point you in the right direction. Undoubtedly, there are other places in the state which are known as Four Points. It’s a common geographical identifier.
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 