The beautiful church you see above—the oldest in Bartow County—was originally built in 1843. While it has been maintained and improved over the years, much of its original character remains. The church was built along the Tennessee Road, a major route constructed through the Cherokee Nation in 1829 to connect the Tennessee River to Augusta, then the nearest port city.

In addition to the church and campground, the site includes a substantial cemetery, with the earliest recorded burial—according to Find A Grave—being that of Ann Atherton, who died in 1831. Much of the historical information in this commentary comes from The History of Pine Log Methodist Church, ca. 1834–1981, as well as the church’s National Register nomination completed in 1988.

The land for the church and cemetery—believed to include a Cherokee burial ground—was donated by early settler Lindsey Johnson, who moved to the area from Elbert County in 1830 to prospect for copper. The Pine Log Campground traces its roots to these early days, with annual camp meetings beginning in the 1840s. The current tabernacle, built in 1888, still stands and has survived virtually unchanged.

Bartow County was originally named Cass County in honor of General Lewis Cass of Michigan, who served as Secretary of War under President Andrew Jackson and played a key role in the removal of Native Americans from this region. However, Cass later fell out of favor in the South at the start of the Civil War, and the county was renamed Bartow, in honor of General Francis Bartow, who was one of the first Confederate officers killed at the Battle of Manassas in 1861.

The early years of Bartow County were marked by upheaval, as Georgia forcibly acquired Cherokee lands, culminating in the Trail of Tears in 1838, when thousands of Native Americans were displaced. The land was then divided and distributed through a state lottery, awarding 40- and 160-acre parcels. The smaller lots were believed to contain gold and were highly sought after. Many early settlers purchased land from the lottery winners and began to build communities in the area.

By 1840, many of the founding members of Pine Log Methodist Church had settled here. They were primarily farmers, and many were slaveholders, as the 1840 census reveals that church members collectively owned 170 enslaved people.

The Civil War years were especially hard on the Pine Log and Cassville areas due to the military action leading up to the Battle of Atlanta. With most of the county’s young men away fighting, the region was left vulnerable to raiding and destruction by both Union and Confederate forces. The loss of life and property during this period was devastating. While a few Confederate veterans are buried in the church cemetery, it’s important to remember these were the men who made it home, while many did not. Church records indicate that at least twenty members of Pine Log Methodist Church fought in the war and never returned.

The history of Pine Log is long and proud, and we are incredibly fortunate that the local congregation has been such a faithful steward of its legacy. This historic church is still serving the community 180 years after its founding.