“Spring Place Memories” is the theme for the 20th Annual Spring Place Community Festival set for Saturday, August 19 at the Old Spring Place Methodist Church. A new and used book sale, food concessions, a bake sale, an indoor and outdoor flea market, T-shirts, a raffle, and other activities will begin at 8 a.m. Highlighting the day is the auction which will include artist prints, paintings, book sets, furniture, antiques, rugs, and gift cards donated by area businesses! The auction will begin at 10:00. The day will also feature displays featuring the photographic and archaeological history of this special town. Proceeds from the festival will go to the Old Spring Place Methodist Church Preservation Fund of the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society. The Festival is co-sponsored by the Spring Place Ruritan Club. For more information contact 706-695-2740 or 706-695-2110.
Spring Place Methodist Church
Elm Street, Chatsworth, GA
Open for special occasions and events. Please check Facebook and this web site for opening announcements.
Chair: Chuck Smith
Directions
Spring Place is the former county seat of Murray County and second oldest town in North Georgia. The old Methodist church is the oldest existing public-use structure in Murray County.
It began as an Indian Mission in the early 1830s. During the Trail of Tears, the group at Spring Place became a regular congregation. The group first met near the old Moravian Mission on present day Ellijay Street. In 1851, the congregation moved to Elm Street and built a brick structure. This building later burned, and a new wooden church was erected on the same foundation about 1875.
Many events such as homecomings, conferences, revivals and ladies' group meetings highlight the history of the church. The congregation began to decline when the county seat was moved to Chatsworth in 1913. Eventually, a new church was built in 1976. The Whitfield-Murray Historical Society saw the need to preserve and restore the old church.
It was rededicated in 1979 and now houses a museum of church, Spring Place, and Murray County memorabilia. The building is used for historical society meetings and may be rented by other groups for special events and social functions.
