Landmark Preservation Consulting

ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH

Historic Rural Churches of Georgia commissioned Landmark Preservation LLC (Landmark) to conduct a conditions assessment of Antioch Baptist Church located in Crawfordville, Georgia. Listed on the 2020 Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Places in Peril, the congregation dates back to 1886, when it was founded by freed slaves from southern Taliaferro and northern Hancock counties. Antioch Baptist Church is one of the most striking examples of a religious building in rural Georgia, with its imposing Gothic Revival-style towers flanking a wide doorway. Having acquired four acres for both a church and a cemetery from a nearby landowner, the church was constructed in 1899 by local craftsmen. Every August, descendants of the original congregation return to worship and reunite at this church with a long and proud history. The purpose of the assessment was to identify building deficiencies and to make recommendations for future treatment. The assessment did not focus on restoration to a specific period but recommended preservation-focused treatments to arrest deterioration, ensure life safety, and stabilize the structure. While recommendations were made for future restoration or rehabilitation work, the primary goal was to secure and stabilize the building.