Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Archdiocese of Atlanta)
| Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary | |
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| Website: | https://www.heritagega.org/ |
| Email: |
info@heritagega.org |
Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary is in Georgia (United States) and is part of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
It is dedicated to Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Location
It is located at 240 Washington Road, Crawfordville, GA 30631.
| Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
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| This map created from a Cargo query () |
[[Category:Archdiocese of Atlanta]]
History
The Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, located in Crawfordville, Georgia, is recognized as the oldest Catholic church in the state, tracing its origins back to 1790. Initially established by a small group of English Catholic families from Maryland who settled in what was then Wilkes County (now Taliaferro), they named their community "Mary Land" in homage to their homeland. The first church was a log cabin, built in 1792 at Locust Grove, followed by a larger frame structure in 1821.
By the mid-19th century, the church had become the center of Catholic life in Georgia, serving several remote "stations" where Catholics gathered for Mass. The parish moved from Locust Grove to Sharon in 1877 due to the growth of the railroad and community there. The current church building was constructed in 1883 after the previous one was deemed inadequate.
In 2001, due to a decline in the local Catholic population, the church was downgraded to station status under St. Joseph’s parish in Washington. However, revitalization efforts began in the 2010s, leading to its transformation into The Purification Heritage Center in 2017. This center now serves not only as a place of worship but also as a retreat center, preserving Georgia's Catholic heritage through historical restoration and educational programs.[1][2][3]
Related parishes
- Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Washington, GA - Church of St. Teresa of Avila, Grovetown, GA