Photography by Scott MacInnis
Dry Pond Methodist
Jackson | Organized 1825
According to church records, the first deed for the property now occupied by Dry Pond Methodist was executed on June 20, 1827, by Joseph McCutchins to the trustees of the church “forever in trust, for the benefit of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the purposes mentioned in the discipline of said church.” The congregation, however, had already been meeting before this date, likely as early as 1825, making Dry Pond one of the oldest Methodist churches in Jackson County.
+ Continue readingA detailed church history, preserved at Pitts Library at Emory University and compiled by members, describes the earliest sanctuary: a simple log structure built at a house raising. Logs were notched to fit, then hewn flat after being set in place. The building faced south toward the Hog Mountain Road, with one door at the end and another on the side. Benches at the rear were railed off for enslaved worshippers, and the white congregation sat separately by gender. A preacher visited every 28 days, often on a weekday, arriving on horseback with saddlebags carrying a Bible, hymn book, and ritual.
Alongside the log church stood a substantial campground, located across the road from the present church. The arbor was surrounded on three sides by wooden tents, which families occupied during the annual revival held before and after the fourth Sunday in September. The camp meeting tradition was strong until the Civil War, with the last gathering in 1863. The stands and tents were torn down shortly after.
The present church is the third sanctuary on the site. Five years after the Civil War, returning Confederate veterans joined local carpenters to build a new structure through donated time and labor. This building stood until 1903, when the congregation decided to construct a new and more substantial sanctuary. The first service in the current building was held in September 1904. For nearly two centuries, Dry Pond Methodist has stood as a cornerstone of its community. Its story reflects not only the endurance of faith in Jackson County but also the traditions, hardships, and resilience of those who worshipped here.