From the historic marker, “On November 29, 1841, the cornerstone was laid for Darien Methodist Church on Vernon Square. This church, set afire twice by Federal troops in 1863, did not burn and became the rallying site for the rebuilding of Darien. Destroyed in 1881 by a hurricane, it was replaced in 1883 by the present sanctuary. The Women’s Society, begun in 1878, raised funds for rebuilding.”
Built in 1868, the First African Baptist Church in Darien is a replica of an earlier-built 1834 church on the same site. It was burned during the 1863 burning by Federal troops during the Civil War.
Built in 1883, the Church of the Purification is tied to the oldest Catholic congregation in Georgia. Started in 1790 by several families from Maryland, the congregation began in Locust Grove in Taliaferro County. This church is the third building of the church. The church no longer hosts regular services.
Once known as Grace Baptist Church, this Gothic Revival building always gets my attention when I drive through Darien. In researching this church, it is also listed as the Imanuel House of Prayer. It is a contributing property to the local historic district.
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.
