Salem Camp Ground
Also known as: Salem Camp Meeting
Why it's listed
Salem Camp Ground, on Salem Road in Covington, Georgia, is a camp meeting district built around a large open-sided wooden tabernacle, also called the arbor. Hand-hewn timbers joined with wooden pegs form the 1854 structure, which was built by contractors Moses Mann and Slider Presnal and has a sawdust floor and original benches. Around it, on three sides, stand about 25 simple frame houses known as "tents," the oldest dating to about 1840. The grounds also hold a 1940 hotel, a bell, a water tower, a spring house over a gum spring, and about 30 acres of virgin hardwood forest. Meetings have been held each August for more than 150 years, pausing only during the Civil War. The camp ground became interdenominational in 1939 and is run by a multi-faith board. It was listed for its intact camp meeting layout and its role in religion, social history, architecture and community planning, with a period of significance of c.1840 to 1948.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the camp ground is a very intact example of a traditional Southern camp meeting ground, with its central tabernacle, family tents, bell, water tower and hotel. It is also important for religion, because meetings have been held every summer for over 150 years except during the Civil War, and for social history as a yearly gathering place for rural families.
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 98000175, listed March 5, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3940 Salem Rd., Covington |
|---|---|
| County | Newton County |
| Listed | March 5, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000175 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c.1840-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Tabernacle built in 1854 by Moses Mann and Slider Presnal (contractors); the form lists architect/builder as N/A. |
| Architectural style | OTHER |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Religion, Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious camp ground, with annual camp meetings held in August; the old woman's clubhouse now serves as a volunteer fire department. |
| Acreage | 63.4 |
| Coordinates | 33.58637, -83.96488 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 98000175.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16948606
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.