The church you see above began its life in Leesburg, Georgia. Built in 1906, it was originally owned by the Leesburg Presbytery before being sold to the First Baptist Church of Leesburg next door. As the Baptist congregation grew, the old Presbyterian church was no longer needed. Though well-maintained, it sat unused on the edge of a parking lot. Eventually, it was relegated to storage, and without a clear purpose, its future pointed toward demolition.

Meanwhile, at Sundown Plantation near Moultrie, owner Ellen Alderman was looking for an authentic wedding chapel to add to her thriving quail plantation and wedding business. Photographer Steve Robinson suggested she look at the old Leesburg church. When Ellen reached out, the Baptist church explained that bringing the building up to code would be too costly for their needs, and they were open to selling. Ellen purchased the church in 2016 and began the painstaking process of moving and restoring it. The roof and bell tower were carefully removed, preserving as much original material as possible. Once relocated to Sundown Plantation, a storm caused the dropped ceiling to collapse, revealing a beautiful, intact wood ceiling underneath. The roof and bell tower were rebuilt to original measurements, and inside, the ceiling, floors, stained glass windows, pews, and plaster walls (infused with horsehair, as was common at the time) were preserved. The original bell was returned to the tower, where it rings again.

When first discovered, the church had blue vinyl siding. Beneath it was gray paint, and under that, white. For the restoration, colors were chosen to complement the plantation setting, with the original white preserved inside and dark wood below the chair rail left to match the ceiling. The pews, still in excellent condition, were moved with the building.

The four-day move from Leesburg to Moultrie took eight months of preparation, but the result is The Chapel at Sundown, a beautifully restored piece of Georgia history now filled with life, celebration, and care. Thanks to Ellen Alderman’s vision, this historic church was saved from demolition and will be cherished for generations to come.