Alpine Community Church, originally known as Alpine Presbyterian Church, was built in 1853. It is located on
Highway 337 in
Menlo, Georgia.
History
The land was provided by Robert Boyles and
Samuel Knox
Samuel Knox (March 21, 1815 – March 7, 1905) was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.
Born in Blandford, Massachusetts, Knox attended the common schools, graduated in 1836 from Williams College ( Williamstown, Massachusetts) and then earn ...
, who were also among the 36 people that signed the
petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication.
In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offic ...
sent to the
Presbytery asking them to appoint a committee to organize a church. When the petition was granted, Rev. A.Y. Lockridge, and Rev. A.D. Johnson with Elders D.M. Montgomery, Benjamin Brannon, and Kinsey Smith, were appointed by the Presbytery, to organize the church. Robert Boyles, C.M. Barry, W. Graves and John B. Knox were elected Ruling Elders by ballot after the first service was held on the Saturday before
Sabbath
In Abrahamic religions, the Sabbath () or Shabbat (from Hebrew ) is a day set aside for rest and worship. According to the Book of Exodus, the Sabbath is a day of rest on the seventh day, commanded by God to be kept as a holy day of rest, as G ...
in May, 1853.
The church was used by the
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
men as a hospital during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...
. Hugh Montgomery, a U.S. Indian Agent, is buried there. A
historic marker
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...
that reads "Last Indian Agent" represents his grave in the cemetery located behind the church. Alpine Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Chattooga County.
The physical characteristics of Alpine Community Church remain much as they were in the 19th century. The church was constructed with two front doors, the men and women would enter separately and sit on opposite sides. A loft was built just above the entrance way for the slaves who attended service.
Today
In November, 1986, Tommy Pledger became Pastor. Currently, Service are held every Sunday Morning at 11:00 am led by Pastor Jeremy Stroop. Alpine Community Church was recognized by the State of Georgia in 2003 for celebrating 150 years of dedicated service to the
Chattooga County
Chattooga County is a County (United States), county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 24,965. According to the World Popula ...
area.
[{{Cite web, url=http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/fulltext/hr1024.htm, title=House Resolution 1024, website=]Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Each of the General Assembly's 236 members serve two-year terms and are directly ...
, url-status=dead, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050827220754/http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/fulltext/hr1024.htm, archive-date=August 27, 2005, access-date=July 4, 2010
References
Presbyterian churches in Georgia (U.S. state)
Buildings and structures in Chattooga County, Georgia