Cedar Grove Methodist Church in McLemore Cove
Between northwest Georgia's Lookout Mountain (famous for Rock City) and Pigeon Mountain, its offshoot to the west, runs a deep, enclosed valley, called a "cove" in Southern Applachian-speak. It was named after Captain John McLemore, the son of a Scottish fur trader and a Cherokee mother.
After the removal of the Cherokees in the 1830s, most of the land in the Cove was bought up by William Dougherty, an attorney from Athens, Georgia. He sold off the land in parcels, but, in 1851, donated three acres for the establishment of a Methodist church.
Cedar Grove Methodist is the second-oldest congregation in the Cove. (Only Antioch Baptist, established in 1837, is older.) The current sanctuary, dating from 1923, is the fourth building on the site.
In former years the Cove was a close-knit community that was home to many families. The church prospered and was well-loved by its congregation, as evidenced by the ten stained-glass windows, a stained-glass fanlight above the doors and stained-glass sidelights and door panels. Extremely unusual for a small, country church.
Three of the stained-glass windows at Cedar Grove Methodist Church
The property continues to be lovingly maintained by a small congregation which sadly, is aging out. It will be a sad day when the doors close for good on this small sanctuary. A lot of love has been lavished on this little church
through the years.
The second edition of my book, Backroads and Byways of Georgia will be released in June, 2023.
Photography and text copyright 2023 David B.Jenkins.
I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment