Category Archives: Churches and Temples

Utoy Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery-Atlanta, Georgia

From the Utoy Cemetery Association website, Atlanta’s historic Utoy Cemetery is a fenced three and a half acre suburban cemetery located at 1465 Cahaba Drive SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30311, behind the old Utoy Primitive Baptist Church (now the Temple of Christ Pentecostal Church), 1911 Venetian Drive SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30311. The cemetery was originally part of the Utoy Primitive Baptist Church, but in 1984 was deeded to the Utoy Cemetery Association, Inc.

Utoy Primitive Baptist Church, apparently the oldest Baptist Church in present Fulton County, was constituted August 15, 1824, in a log house just west of the present church, which is now located at the corner of Venetian Drive (originally Utoy Road) and Cahaba Drive, in Southwest Atlanta. The church was apparently moved to its present location in the summer of 1828. Today, the Utoy Church building itself is owned by the Temple of Christ Pentecostal Church, Inc., an organization that has an active African-American congregation of approximately 100 members.

It was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

Front and backside of William Gilbert’s marker
John (1854-1921) and Georgia (1849-1910) Head. There is a typo on Georgia’s name. They are the parents of Edna Thrift (1888-1983) and John Head (1878-1930), who have the matching headstones below.
Sarah Hendon (typo on the grave) was a Civil War nurse. (1823-1910)

Midway Church Cemetery-Midway, Georgia

The Midway Cemetery was started in 1752 alongside the Midway Congregational Church. The cemetery contains markers that represent the many years the cemetery has been active. Victorian reliefs, wooden markers, and crypts are just some of the examples that can be found.

It and the church were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

John Lambert, d. 1786
One of my favorite reliefs
View of the cemetery with obelisk
Reverend Moses Way, d. 1859
Slate marker
Rahn family wooden markers

First African Baptist Church-Cumberland Island, Georgia

Cumberland Island, Camden County, Georgia

It’s most known for being the wedding location of John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette. This one-room church was established in 1893 in the area known as The Settlement, where many men and women born into slavery made their home after the Civil War.

This building was rebuilt in the 1930s and sits on the island’s north end.

Rehoboth Baptist Church-Metasville, Georgia

Gospel Aid Christ Community Church and Cemetery-Norwood, Georgia

I don’t know much about the church, based on burials in the cemetery, I would guess this church was founded around 1900.

These appliqué headstones can be seen throughout the state of Georgia.
Rosie Mae Baker, 1905-1990

Bay Springs Methodist Church and Cemetery-Washington County, Georgia

Cynthia Colson, 1816-1908
Reverend J. E. Hines, 1859-1909
Minnie Lee Walters, 1880-1912