Bark Camp Baptist is one of the oldest churches in Georgia’s backcountry. As early as 1740, white settlers were hunting and grazing livestock on Creek Indian land. The Creek Treaty of 1763, signed in Augusta, tripled Georgia’s size and opened the way for large-scale settlement. Many arrivals were prosperous planters who would go on to establish significant plantations.
+ Continue readingThe church was organized in 1788, before George Washington became president, and quickly became a center of worship, culture, and hospitality. Many wealthy plantation owners were among its earliest members. The congregation began with 29 charter members on land donated by Zebulon Cock. Over the years, four houses of worship have stood here, the first a rounded log structure. The current sanctuary was built in the spring of 1847 by Moses Fuller at a cost of $1,700. Fuller is honored with a large marker in the cemetery. Charles A. Burton contributed four acres to the church and later sold an additional four acres for $25.
Church records survive from 1823, though the earliest have been lost. The cemetery holds many prominent community members as well as Revolutionary War and Civil War veterans. It’s recorded that some of Sherman’s raiders visited the church in December 1864.
As the surrounding community dwindled and younger generations moved away, Bark Camp Baptist closed its doors in 1958. Though the sounds of regular worship faded, the church building remained—a dignified landmark among the Georgia woodlands.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization has since given Bark Camp new life. Much of this revival is thanks to Mr. Leonard Quick, whose family belonged to the church in the 1940s and ’50s. Ordained as a Baptist minister here in 1953, Quick returned after retirement to spearhead the restoration movement. His dedication has preserved both the building and the memory of the generations who worshiped here.
Today, Bark Camp Baptist stands as a testament to faith, resilience, and community—a living link to Georgia’s early history.