{"nrhp_refnum":"02000453","name":"Bethel AME Church","other_names":["Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"4683 Bell St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Acworth","county":"Cobb County","state":"GA","lat":34.06863905500006,"lon":-84.67796933499994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2002-05-09","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Black"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A brick Romanesque Revival church at 4683 Bell Street in Acworth, Cobb County, Georgia, built c. 1882 with a vestibule and two bell towers added in 1895.","why_significant":"The church is described as an excellent, intact example of a small-town Romanesque Revival church, with original interior finishes, pulpit and a historic cast-iron bell. It is also tied to Acworth's African-American community, having served as a community focal point since its construction. It is one of two historic African-American churches in the city.","narrative":"Bethel AME Church is a brick church on a corner lot at Bell Street in Acworth's historically African-American neighborhood, north of the railroad and downtown. The sanctuary dates to about 1882 and has a front gable roof, round-arched four-over-four windows, corbelled brickwork and pilasters. In 1895, during the ministry of J.R. Fleming, a vestibule and two bell towers of different heights were added, each with a conical metal roof. The south tower holds a cast-iron bell made by the York Bell Foundry of Hillsboro, Ohio. Inside, a central-aisle sanctuary keeps its patterned beadboard ceiling, plaster walls, wainscoting, original pulpit and raised platform. A concrete-block rear addition from 1973 holds a foyer, restrooms and kitchen. The congregation formed in 1864 and first shared a building with Zion Hill Baptist Church. Land was bought in 1871. The church was listed for its architecture and for its long role as a focal point of Acworth's African-American community.","period_of_significance":"c.1882-1952","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Late Victorian: Romanesque (Romanesque Revival)","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Still in use as a religious facility; the congregation has about 90 members, with 20-25 attending services.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:43.347294-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_GA/02000453.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/02000453/fcbc844eba-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/02000453/fcbc844eba-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Nilesrob","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BethelAME.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nilesrob</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BethelAME.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/93207553","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q134287648"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/georgia/cobb-county/bethel-ame-church-02000453/"}