Snow Methodist
Up until the 1820s, this land was inhabited by the Creek Indians. That changed with the Treaty of Indian Springs, which forced them to cede their lands to the state. Soon after, white settlers from the Carolinas and elsewhere began moving into the area, establishing small farming communities. One such settlement took root here in Dooly County—despite the lack of a river or sizable creek nearby. Many early families intermarried, and by the early 1830s, it was time to lay down more permanent roots.
According to the church’s founding history, neighbors gathered in 1832 at the home of Mrs. Tilly Crumpler and decided to establish regular religious services. A small group was tasked with finding a suitable location for a church. Because there was no major water source nearby, they needed a site with a dependable spring—vital for multi-day meetings. While surveying the woods, they discovered a spring with sand “as white as snow,” inspiring the name Snow Spring (sometimes shortened to Snow). On that spot, they built a brush arbor and held their first camp meeting in 1833.
Soon after, the congregation decided to build a permanent log church. Isaac Taylor of Houston County deeded eight acres for the building and an adjoining cemetery. In April 1843, the congregation officially joined the Methodist Episcopal Society, though they considered their founding date to be 1833, when worship began under the brush arbor. Services were often led by circuit-riding preachers and could last from two days to two weeks, drawing attendees from miles around by wagon or on foot. The nearby spring allowed them to camp on-site during these extended gatherings.
In 1900 or 1901, the original log church burned. It was replaced in 1903 by the current building, which still retains its original stained glass windows and handmade pews. The bell tower was removed in the 1920s when church bells were deemed “old-fashioned.” In the early 1900s, the church also hosted a school, though it’s unclear whether classes were held in a separate building or within the sanctuary. A post office opened at Snow in 1879 but closed in 1905 as the community’s population declined. Today, Snow Methodist still holds regular services, making it the oldest continuously active church in Dooly County.
Leave a Reply