Smallest Church in America in Georgia

Smallest Church in America in Georgia

The old chapel

On our first trip to Washington DC, my son and I stopped in to visit this tiny church.  We were fascinated by how small it was and it was so pretty too.

We went inside and my son was worried that we were going to get arrested for trespassing because we didn’t knock or anything.

The door is always unlocked and visitors are welcome.  He was too young to really understand that at the time.

We went inside and took several pictures.  I read through some of the prayer requests that were left by visitors before us.  And I prayed for them.

I wrote my own prayer requests in the binder on the podium.

The stained glass windows in this little church were breathtaking.  They let in such beautiful natural light.  It was such a nice stop.  My son is not a big fan of churches but he liked this one.  He thought it was really cool how small it was.

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About the Smallest Church in America in Georgia

The Memory Park Christ Chapel in Townsend, Georgia was built in 1950 by Grocer Agnes Harper.  The church was deeded to Jesus Christ and is open to all denominations.

The chapel is 10 ft. x 15 ft. and contains pews for 12 people and a small pulpit for a minister.

The church is surrounded by beautiful stained-glass windows, candles, and mementos donated by visitors.  The church has numerous notes surrounding its walls and binders full of prayer requests from visitors.

Unfortunately, a vandal burned the church down, gutting it, on November 28, 2015.  Just four days later, locals began donating materials to rebuild the chapel.  It was successfully rebuilt and opened again on April 8, 2017.

The Smallest Church in America is located on US Hwy 17, one mile south of I-95, exit 67.  Admission is free.

Second Visit to the Smallest Church in America in Georgia

The new chapel

Once again, we stopped here a second time with my bestie on our way to Savannah.  It’s one of those gems off the beaten path that end up being one of the best memories.  I didn’t want to deny her that.

This time, it was a bit late when we arrived, after dark.  There was an RV parked there when we pulled in, so we sat quietly and waited our turn.

It was rainy and stormy out but no torrential downpours or anything, so it wasn’t too bad.

I didn’t take any pictures this time around, which is odd for me.  Even when I visit places that I’ve been before, I still usually take pictures.  Places change, I like to capture the differences.

I remember feeling that something was odd this time around, something just didn’t feel right.  It really felt cold, and empty compared to the first time we visited.  I didn’t know at the time that it had been burned down and rebuilt.

The pictures my bestie took allowed me to compare notes and find the differences.

Beck wrote down her prayer requests and put them on the bulletin board and then we headed out.  We were tired and almost to our destination.

Summary

Inside the original

It’s so unfortunate that this little chapel was gutted and had to be rebuilt.  I’m so grateful that the locals decided to rebuild it.

But it’s not the same as the original.  I appreciate their donations and effort, don’t get me wrong.  It’s just so saddening that some jerk destroyed it in the first place.

Anyway, on a better note, whether you saw the original or not, this is most definitely well worth the stop.  While you’re there, put your prayer requests out into the world and maybe say a quiet prayer for others.

Please, please respect the chapel.

I’d highly recommend this stop.  Have you been there?  I’d love to hear what you thought of it.  Please drop a few lines in the comments box below and let me know how your visit went.

In the meantime, safe travels!

~Kris M.

Written by Kris M.