Photographing old and sometimes forgotten churches
St. James Episcopal was built in 1842. The architecture originally was Greek Revival, but later was changed by Gothic modifications. It’s located in the town of Livingston, Alabama in the mid-western portion of the state.
Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church is not far from the historical sites of St. Augustine, Florida. The church was established in 1929 and the marker in front of the church partially reads – “This spiritual and civic citadel was established in 1929 with Rev. R.H. Whittaker as spiritual leader, and Chairman of the Board of Deacons, D.P. Mims. This church, the gateway to New Augustine, experienced phenomenal growth under the
inspired leadership of Rev. J.A. Wright, beginning in 1955 — becoming a spiritual beacon of New Augustine and emerging leader and light of civic pride in The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.”
I made it to Taw Caw Missionary Baptist Church just before a spectacular sunset one evening. This South Carolina church was bought by former slaves after the opportunity to freely worship was available with emancipation. The building was formerly owned by a Baptist congregation who sold the land and the church in 1885 when they moved to a different location in Summerton, South Carolina. The building dates to 1859, though there has been some remodeling over the years, both to the interior and exterior. There’s also an adjacent cemetery on the southwestern side of the church.
St. Barnabas Anglican Church opened in 1887 and consecrated in 1889. The surrounding cemetery is a bit older. The Nova Scotia church is located in Ecum Secum, a strange name that nobody seems to know how it was derived. The style of the church is Gothic Revival with a bell tower and steeple.
According to the sign in front of the church, St. Andrews Presbyterian was established in 1873. It’s located on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
Saint Ambrose Catholic Church is located west of St. Augustine before you arrive at Palatka, Florida, near the town of Elkton. The Parish was established in 1875 to reach the small farming communities in this part of Florida. Mass was originally held in a barn and then a small wood frame church was used until the current church was built in 1907. On the property, the original French priest used his carpenter skills to also build a rectory, school, and convent. The school was used from 1881 until 1948 to teach the early Spanish, Irish, Greek and Italian settlers’ children. A good number of these early settlers are buried in the cemetery also on the property.
