Kiokee Baptist Church
Also known as: Old Kiokee Baptist Church
Why it's listed
Old Kiokee Baptist Church is a one-story brick meeting house completed in 1808 in a wooded clearing on Kiokee Road, about three miles northeast of Appling, Georgia. Its walls are three bricks thick, laid in Flemish bond with handmade brick. Inside, a single room has a rear balcony carried on hand-hewn heart pine pillars, some of them seven-sided, and a vaulted ceiling supported by two 40-foot beams. The brickwork was done by a Mr. Danielly, and Hezikiah and John Boyd did the woodwork. The building was listed because it is the earliest surviving structure of Georgia's first Baptist congregation, founded by Daniel Marshall in 1772. Marshall's son Abraham, who served the church during construction, organized the first Black Baptist church in Georgia in 1788. The congregation left the building in 1827, yet it remains in use for homecomings and baptisms. A baptismal house and pool about 150 yards north are included in the nominated area.
Significance in brief: It is the earliest surviving building of the first Baptist congregation organized in Georgia, founded by Reverend Daniel Marshall. The Marshall family led the congregation for about 60 years, and Abraham Marshall established the first Black Baptist church in Georgia. The building is also a well-preserved example of frontier construction with handmade components and refined details.
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 78000976, listed December 8, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Kiokee Rd., Appling |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | December 8, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000976 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1807-1808 |
| Architect / builder | Mr. Danielly (brickwork), Hezikiah and John Boyd (woodwork) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used by the congregation for homecomings, baptisms and other special occasions; described as in an excellent state of preservation. The baptismal house appears deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.57812, -82.29210 (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 78000976.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14686689
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.