Silver Creek Methodist Church sits in the foothills of North Georgia in Floyd County, along the banks of Silver Creek, south of Rome. It was founded in 1869, shortly after the Civil War, on three acres of land donated by Dennis Hills “for the use and benefit of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.”

Floyd County’s history before the church’s founding was marked by upheaval. In 1838 and 1839, U.S. troops, prompted by the state of Georgia, expelled the Cherokee from their ancestral homeland and forced them west to present-day Oklahoma, a journey remembered as the Trail of Tears. Only a few decades later, the county endured destruction during the Civil War as Sherman’s forces advanced toward Atlanta on the March to the Sea.

Little early history of Silver Creek Methodist has survived. Much was lost in 1909 when a cyclone struck the home of the church secretary, destroying the official records. Historic photos show that the building has undergone many changes. Sunday School rooms were added to the north side, and in the 1950s, a dramatic steeple was installed. The steeple was a gift from Mrs. F. H. Schlapbach, a devoted member of the congregation. Along with it, she arranged for a bell to be placed in the belfry, presented by the Central of Georgia Railroad in honor of her late husband’s many years of service.

Today, Silver Creek Methodist maintains an active congregation, preserving both the building and the history it represents. The churchyard cemetery holds many of Floyd County’s earliest settlers, including numerous Civil War veterans, serving as a reminder of the community’s deep roots. This rural church, standing for more than 150 years, remains an important landmark of Georgia history, lovingly maintained by those who continue to worship within its walls.