BY: Donna Bratcher
On Hwy 28 in Anderson County, also known as Abbeville Hwy, traffic moves at a zooming pace. You can often hear the sound of tractor trailers crossing over First Creek and grinding up the incline as they travel toward the historic city of Abbeville. But at the top of that ascent is a place that isn’t disturbed by the hectic, hurried pace of the world around it. It stands quiet and serene, unbothered by the roar and rush of those passing by. It is First Creek Baptist Church. This church is much more than a picturesque landmark with its bright white siding and brilliant red roof. It is an important part of this community. In the large cemetery that slopes gently away from the church, you will find the names of families synonymous with this area…Hall, Alewine, Bowen, Fisher, Lowe, Wakefield…the list goes on and on. Many generations of families have come and gone since 1824 when First Creek Baptist Church was founded.
In 1857, a large church building was erected with a seating capacity of 700. The cost to build it was $1800. According to the Anderson County map of 1879, the main road originally ran between this building and the cemetery, but by 1897, the road had been rerouted as it is today. On December 2, 1938, the church building was destroyed by fire before an evening service. It is thought the fire was accidentally caused by hot coals from the wood stove. All that remains are the large foundation stones that lie just inside the wood line beyond the cemetery. The stones are a reminder that when faced with tragedy, this body of believers persevered and has continued on for almost 100 years beyond that devastating event.
Today First Creek Baptist Church opens its doors each week for worshipers as it has for 200 years. So as the world continues to rush by, there are still those who choose to enter this peaceful place and take time to worship just as their ancestors did in years gone by.