Historic Structure Report: Mother Trinity Church
Fenwick R and Isaacs E. 2018. Historic Structure Report: Mother Trinity Church. Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Lominack Kolman Smith Architects; Landmark Preservation LLC; Saussy Engineering; Georgia State University
From Administrative Data: "The purpose of this document is to guide short and long term preservation and reuse efforts following the relocation of the Trinity CME congregation and the move of the Trinity CME Church building from its original location. Relocated following the contamination of soil associated with an adjacent coal gasification plant, it is the intention of the church's new owner to see that the building is renovated for reuse. Accompanying the report is a preliminary structural assessment and drawings completed to Historic American Building Survey (HABS) standards for archival documentation of the building. Trinity CME Church is significant at the state and local level as home to one of the South's earliest African-American congregations established prior to emancipation. Worshiping separately under the leadership of St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church by 1840, the congregation's earliest church edifice for colored members was built circa 1843. The extant church was dedicated in 1848. The congregation was able to purchase the freedom of their first African-American pastor in 1850. The church has national significance as the 'mother church' of the Christian Methodist Episcopal denomination, which formed in 1870. The first church of the newly formed denomination, ownership of the church was transferred from the Trustees of the St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church to the Trustees of the Trinity Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in 1874. Trinity Church went on to produce four CME bishops, host three CME general conferences, and influence the establishment of Paine College, organized in 1882." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number P18AF00065).
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Fenwick, Rebecca; Isaacs, Ellie
- Date of Issue
- 2018
- Publisher
- Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Lominack Kolman Smith Architects; Landmark Preservation LLC; Saussy Engineering; Georgia State University
- Units
- HPF
- Keywords
- Certified Local Governments, Historic Structure Reports