St. John's Lutheran Church in Pomaria SC

It's a beautiful sunny day and I find myself kid-free. I decide to strike out on my own for another adventure in historic South Carolina.  My first stop is in Pomaria. From research on the web, I learn about an old church  built in 1758 and decide to see if I can find it. After driving around in circles and fearing that I will never find the location, I finally stumble upon it. (My GPS lost it's signal or something out here and would not take me to the exact site.)

The signs reads: St. John's Lutheran Church...This Lutheran church stands on a royal grant of 100 acres made in 1763 to John Adam Epting and Peter Dickert, elders of the Dissenting congregation on Crim's Creek. The origins of St. John's date as early as 1754, when the Reverend John Gasser settled near here. The church was incorporated in 1794 as "the German Lutheran Congregation of St. John."

The original church is no longer here, but this marker stands in its stead. It reads: JOHN ADAM EPTING AND PETER DICKERT, OFFICERS OF ST. JOHN'S CONGREGATION RECEIVED 100 ACRES OF LAND FROM KING GEORGE III OF ENGLAND FOR CHURCH AND RELIGIOUS PURPOSES. THIS STONE MARKS THE LOCATION OF THE FIRST CHURCH BUILDING.

Another view of the marker.

A view to the second church from the marker. A cemetery separates the new from the old. The graves closer to the old site are the older ones dating 1700-1800s.

These are only a sampling of the gravestones found here. After wandering through the cemetery, I walk to the second church which also doubled as a school.

The second church was built in the old German style and is on the land which is today owned by St. John's Cemetery. This church doubled as a school and the rows of windows down both sides allowed light inside.

The third white church, known as THE WHITE CHURCH, was built in1809 under the leadership of Reverend Frederick Joseph Wallem. His remains are in the St. Paul's Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Captain John A Summer, grandson and namesake of the pioneer settler, made all the hinges, nails and hardware for this church. For 141 years, this church was used for worship. It is probably the oldest frame Lutheran Church building in SC.

This place was an amazing find. Especially since it contains two old buildings in fairly good condition, a marker where a third stood and a sizeable graveyard with lots of history. This place is definitely worth a visit.

When leaving this spot in search of another old school, I found a section of the Palmetto trail. (One day, I fully intend to walk and record this entire trail.)

I photographed both sides of the road and information found there so I can remember where it is for future reference. I love this trail.

I found several schools today and spend most of my day out photographing historic sites. I am not putting them all here though because I think each one deserves its own page. If you like historic old buildings, keep watching for more schools to be loaded. Each site is worth a visit. There is so much history in the small towns of South Carolina. I'm so glad we are a part of a state interested in preserving its past.

 

 

Discovering Prosperity - Howard Jr. High School

Prosperity is a small, sleepy town. I am excited about finding Howard Jr. High School because that's the exact name of the school I attended in Florida. I turn off a main road onto a small lane that takes me around a baseball field to a place that looks as if it's from another time.

The lane takes me under this small railroad bridge. I begin to get excited just because it feels like I might find something special here.

As I drive under the bridge, I see a lone gravestone sitting beside the road. In the distance I see lots more gravestones, on both sides of the road.

I see an old building that I know immediately must be my destination. I cannot wait to get out and explore. This entire area has an old feel to it.

I continue driving up the lane and park just past the old junior high school building.

I snap a photo of the school from where I park but can't decide where to go first. Do I want to explore the old gravestones or the school? The gravestones win and I start walking among them.

Some are really old and from the 1800s and others are newer. But this graveyard has more character than any I've visited before, as you will soon see.

Someone has taken the cross from this gravestone.

I love this gravestone. There are several here that appear to be hand carved and even decorated with rocks and shells.

I love walking through the cemetery, but it is large and curiosity overtakes me and I head for the school. I will enter the graveyard again after I've investigated the old school building.

 This school was built in 1924-25 with matching funds from the Julius Rosenwald Fund. The fund was created by the chief executive officer of Sears, Roebuck, and Company to improve education for African Americans in the South.

The school is a one-story wooden frame building. It originally had four classrooms and lots of windows down both sides to allow natural light inside.

I can't find any information about the actual school itself while in use but I will continue to search.

I stuck my camera high into one of the windows to take this photo. Even though it doesn't look like it, the windows are taller than me. I could not see inside by standing near them.

This building is being restored and preserved.

Another view.

 

 Even though this is a newer gravestone, it appears hand-carved.

This is my favorite and very unique.

 The stones are decoration.

 The rocks on top are cemented into the gravestone. Someone spent a lot of time on this grave. There are no dates so I couldn't tell when they died though.

 

 The side and rear of the building have not been restored yet. We get a feel for how it once looked.

 There are gravestones behind the old school too.

 As I drive out and continue my adventure, I stop to photograph the lone gravestone that sits by the roadside.

What an exciting find. If you are even in Prosperity, this place is definitely worth you time to go have a look. Not only will you get to see an old school, but the gravestones here have so much character.