St. Bartholomew's Church
Why it's listed
St. Bartholomew's Church is a one-story frame church built in 1896 in Burroughs, Chatham County, Georgia. A parish hall, first used as the church schoolhouse, was added in 1897. The steep gabled building sits on brick piers and has a corner bell tower, pointed-arch windows, a flush-board frieze and staggered shingle work. Inside, an open framework of pointed arches separates the nave from the altar. The congregation traces its origins to 1832 and is the oldest continuing black congregation in the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia. Its mission to enslaved people on Ogeechee plantations grew under Rev. William C. Williams, who opened schools in 1845. After the Civil War, former slaves settled and bought land at Burroughs, and the church became the center of the community. The day school it ran passed to the county in 1916 and used the building until 1951. The church and parish hall remain in active community use today.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is an excellent, little-altered rural Episcopal church in the Victorian Eclectic style. It is the oldest continuing black congregation in the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, with roots in a congregation formed in 1832. It also served as an education center for the local black population and as the focal point around which the Burroughs community grew.
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 82002391, listed June 17, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Cheves Rd., Burroughs |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | June 17, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002391 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architectural style | Victorian Eclectic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Black, Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, occupied and in religious use; the church still serves the community and the parish hall hosts a health clinic and classes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.97040, -81.24494 (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 82002391.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134139327
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.