New Ogeechee Missionary Baptist Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1893, this small wood-frame church on Chevis Road serves the rural African-American community of Burroughs, southwest of Savannah. The congregation formed in 1891 after a split from First Bethel Baptist Church, and member J.D. Campbell donated the 0.95-acre site that year. The church has a front-gabled form, horizontal lap siding, a metal seam roof, brick foundation piers and six-over-six double-hung windows. Raised piers, operable windows and a metal roof suited the hot climate before electricity or running water arrived. A rear addition from 1965 holds the choir platform and baptism pool, and a small cupola houses the bell. Inside, a large open sanctuary retains its original wooden pews. Burroughs grew from land once tied to Wild Heron Plantation, subdivided in the 1870s and 1880s so former slaves could buy property. The church was listed for its role as one of three churches serving that community and as an intact example of a rural African-American church in Georgia.
Significance in brief: The church is significant under Criterion A in Ethnic Heritage/Black as one of three churches that served the Burroughs community, a rural African-American settlement. It is also significant under Criterion C in architecture as a good and intact example of a rural African-American church built in Georgia in the 19th century. It has been a community landmark for more than a century.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 01000854, listed August 8, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 751 Chevis Rd., Savannah |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | August 8, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000854 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893-1950 |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a church; the building has a 1965 rear addition, replaced doors and a rebuilt portico, and the bell is operable. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.97787, -81.24900 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 01000854.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q125449185
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.