Daes Chapel Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Daes Chapel Methodist Church is a small, simple, one-story church on North Washington Street in Clarkesville. Its wood frame, possibly heavy braced timber, is sheathed in weatherboard and rests on a rock foundation infilled with concrete block. The gabled roof has exposed rafter ends, a gabled vestibule marks the entry, and the double-hung windows hold tinted glass. Inside are open benches, tongue-and-groove wainscoting and a plank ceiling. The building was moved to this lot in the early 1900s, after Miss Amanda Daes, a prominent Black citizen who owned land across the county and ran a restaurant on the square, donated an acre for a church. It originally stood north of town near the Trade School, and its earlier use is unknown. Its importance lies in local history: it is the only historic structure in the area tied exclusively to Clarkesville's Black community, for which the church was a traditional center of social, cultural and religious life. It remains in use, in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant for local history because of its association with Clarkesville's black community. It is the only historic structure in the multiple resource area directly and exclusively tied to the town's black history. As a church, it represents the traditional center of social, cultural and religious life in that community.
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 82002430, listed August 18, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. Washington St., Clarkesville |
|---|---|
| County | Habersham County |
| Listed | August 18, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002430 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In good condition and still in use as a Methodist church, though membership has dropped to five active members. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.61556, -83.52800 (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 82002430.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134360921
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.