311 Blackstock Road
Courtesy of the SC Dept. of Archives and History ca. 1980
City Directories and History: Shiloh Methodist Church was established as early as 1786 but constructed, between 1825 and 1830, is significant as a particularly intact example of the vernacular meeting house form of ecclesiastical architecture common in rural churches in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It is the earliest surviving church sanctuary in Spartanburg County and one of the earliest in the South 
Carolina upcountry. Its congregation, founded shortly after the American Revolution, is the “mother church” of several Methodist churches in the area and churches of other denominations as well. The church’s simplicity of form and materials, as well as its strikingly rural and pastoral setting, has been preserved for more than 175 years. It is a simple, unadorned, one-room, rectangular building
constructed in a vernacular meeting house form and clad in whitewashed, horizontally-applied drop or German siding. The church cemetery occupies the back portion of the three-acre lot. The grave markers in the cemetery, dating from 1816 to 2004, are a mixture of granite headstones, still in good condition, old markers with barely legible lettering, and some with unreadable letters even by tracing the stones; many graves are marked by plain field
Sloan – Epton’s Spartanburg Co Map ca. 1869. Courtesy of the Cobb Collection – Other Side of the River Museum, 2016
stones. Shiloh Methodist Church was a circuit church for most of its existence, dependent on a minister traveling a circuit to preach at several churches. About 1915, the last fourteen members of the congregation transferred their membership to Inman Methodist Church, now Inman United Methodist Church, which owns the historic church and cemetery. Listed in the National Register February 2, 2005.
View the complete text of the nomination form for this National Register property.(Courtesy of South Carolina Department of Archives and History)
Beautifully sited on the top of a hill, Shiloh Church was built sometime between 1825 and 1830. It is the oldest church building in the county.
Tradition has it that Bishop Francis Asbury, the well-known itinerant Methodist preacher, held meetings nearby. Whether the good bishop ever preached here or not, records show that many camp meetings were held on this spot. Located on the Old Blackstock Road (an older Indian trail) linking settlements on the Tyger River with Tryon, North Carolina, the church’s location made it a natural gathering place for the Methodists of the area. Religion played an important role in the lives of the frontier people, and their simple and strong faith is reflected in the simplicity which marks the construction of this church. Unadorned, either inside or out, the building has not been altered with time. The original candle holders still line the walls; the benches and stone foundation attest to a primitive craftsmanship. Since 1915 a service has been held here every year, usually on the third Sunday in May.
Pictorial History of Spartanburg County by Philip N. Racine – 1980
Stay Connected
Explore history, houses, and stories across S.C. Your membership provides you with updates on regional topics, information on historic research, preservation, and monthly feature articles. But remember R&R wants to hear from you and assist in preserving your own family genealogy and memorabilia.
Visit the Southern Queries – Forum to receive assistance in answering questions, discuss genealogy, and enjoy exploring preservation topics with other members. Also listed are several history and genealogical researchers for hire.
User comments welcome — post at the bottom of this page.
R&R HISTORY LINK: NATIONAL REGISTER – IMAGE(S)
Please enjoy this structure and all those listed in Roots and Recall. But remember each is private property. So view them from a distance or from a public area such as the sidewalk or public road.
Do you have information to share and preserve? Family, school, church, or other older photos and stories are welcome. Send them digitally through the “Share Your Story” link, so they too might be posted on Roots and Recall.
Thanks!
-
- Black and white images courtesy of the SC Dept. of Archives and History
