White Oak Methodist Church in Columbia County

It is the oldest Methodist Church in Columbia County having been officially established in 1792. At first they met in a brush arbor but by about 1804 a small log church was built on this site and dedicated by a legend in Georgia Methodism, Francis Asbury. Legend has it the name came from a large White Oak tree that was in front of the church. In 1806 the church was moved about a mile and a half south to be closer to where many of the members lived and it was close to the stage coach road from Augusta. On that site White Oak Campground was established in 1820. There the church and campground thrived until Sherman's foragers came in 1864 looking for food and supplies. Finding the place abandoned, for some reason they decided to torch it and burned the church. After the war, the church was moved back to the current location and the current structure was dedicated in 1870. The section behind the entrance is the original structure and both it and the camground are still active today.
Andy Sarge