Saint Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church, 491 James P. Brawley Drive Northwest, Atlanta

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-304. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Saint Mark AME Church, the original wood structure built in and the existing stone structure completed in is of significance due to the change in the racial composition of the neighborhood. The site was initially home to the Western Heights Baptist Church, and it served the working class white neighborhood around it. In the there was racial tension in the area as it transitioned from White to Black and even came to terroristic threats and incidents against Black homeowners.1 In October Rev. A.J. Harris moved St. Mark AME to the vacant building and the church stayed there until Booker T. Washington held graduation services at St.

Mark starting in and the church hosted a great number of speakers including the mother of President Jimmy Carter, Governor Herman Talmadge, and Mayor Maynard Jackson. The site served as an anchor in the community alongside the English Avenue School to the north. It also served as an important political stop for candidates as mass voter meetings were held.2 The crossroads of Chestnut and Kennedy (now Brawley and Alexander) have always served as an anchor in this community ever since James W. English Jr. purchased the area in and began to develop at the turn of the century. The space still serves as a landmark and an anchor to the community to this day. It served as an important backdrop to white flight and a transition of racial identity in the English Avenue neighborhood.

It also holds value to the greater Georgia community as the structure saw hundreds of masons from across the state help install the walls made from Stone Mountain granite. Description: The Church has served the neighborhood of English Avenue ever since it is construction in the Both St. Mark AME and English Ave Elementary School (only a block north) have served as anchors of this West Atlanta 1 "Mayor to Hear Views of Housing Victims Today," Atlanta Daily World, Oct. 28, 2 Greenlea, Hartsfield, Brown Swap Verbal Blows at Allen Temple Meeting: Mass Meeting to Continue at St. Mark AME Church Tonight, Atlanta Daily World, Sept. 1, p. 1. Also see Candidates, Spokesmen Make Appeals at St. Mark AME Meet, Atlanta Daily World, Sept. 1, p. 1. ST. MARK AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH HABS No.

GA 304 (page 2) community. The large stone walls that still stand today were a signature of Charles H. Hopson, who was known for his churches across Atlanta and the southeast. The large granite stones make up the exterior walls, which are 1 2 thick. Two cornerstones are located on the west fa ade, one from St. Mark AME s original building and another listing trustee names from May The walls rest on foundation infilled with dirt and grass. The front and side wooden doors were installed by the current owner. There are two stone stoops that lead to the two front doors, which are inaccessible as there is now no main floor. The primary entrance is now through the side and back doors on the north and east walls, respectively.

These new entrances lead onto what would be the basement of the church as it follows the sloping sidewalk down James P. Brawley Drive. Broken glass remnants, as well as rotting wooden window frames, show evidence of stained glass used in each window. There is currently no interior or exterior lighting of the building. On the interior, the concrete foundation for the baptismal pool remains in the middle of the east wall. None of the timber roof or existing floors remain due to fire and neglect. The interior walls bear evidence of the timber beams that once designated a basement level, a slightly raised main floor, and the existence of a balcony at the second floor. History: The architect Charles H.

Hopson, a famous British architect known for other Atlanta churches including Rock Spring Presbyterian, began construction on the initial wood building in and reached completion in The stone structure we know today was erected at the same site in Hundreds of masons used the local Stone Mountain granite to erect the walls. The massive stone building held seating for and was owned and used by Western Heights Baptist Church, a white congregation. The building is in the English Avenue neighborhood of Atlanta. In Western Heights moved to a new building near Maddox Park. In October the congregation of St.

Mark AME marched from their old building to 491 Chestnut (now Brawley) where they remained until when they moved to Cambellton Road.4 The structure sat abandoned after this and began to deteriorate from years of decline and disrepair. In the the structure was bought by the current owner Rev. Winston L. Taylor, who has plans to recharge the space and bring back the building s power in the community. Taylor has worked with community leaders to develop a Land Use Framework Plan to help organize and 3 Piedmont Heights Walking Tour. Rock Spring Presbyterian Church. Accessed June 28, spring presbyterian church.

"Western Heights Baptists to Lay Cornerstone Today," Atlanta Constitution, Mar 21, Also see "Splendid Building will soon be erected by the Western Heights Baptist Church," Atlanta Constitution, Jul 20, p. 11. Exterior rendering of the building in article. 4 Beautiful St. Mark to Conduct Opening Sunday, Atlanta Daily World, Oct. 2, p. 3 ST. MARK AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH HABS No. GA 304 (page 3) facilitate future re zoning efforts. These are initial steps needed to transform the space, but landmark designation is still being pursed to help save the existing structure from future redevelopment efforts.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-304. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Beautiful St. Mark to Conduct Opening Sunday, Atlanta Daily World, Oct. 2, p. 3. Candidates, Spokesmen Make Appeals at St. Mark AME Meet, Atlanta Daily World, Sept. 1, p. 1. Greenlea, C. W. Hartsfield, Brown Swap Verbal Blows at Allen Temple Meeting: Mass Meeting to Continue at St. Mark AME Church Tonight, Atlanta Daily World, Sept. 1, p. 1. "Mayor to Hear Views of Housing Victims Today," Atlanta Daily World, Oct. 28, Piedmont Heights Walking Tour. Rock Spring Presbyterian Church. Accessed June 28, spring presbyterian church. "Splendid Building will soon be erected by the Western Heights Baptist Church," Atlanta Constitution, Jul 20, p. 11. "Western Heights Baptists to Lay Cornerstone Today," Atlanta Constitution, Mar 21,

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-304. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The project sponsor was Dr. Danielle Willkens, Assistant Professor of Architecture at Georgia Institute of Technology. The cooperating organizations were the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Architecture, Atlanta Preservation Center, Landmark Design and The Beloved Community Inc. The measured drawings were prepared by: Thomas Bray, Weston Byerly, Griffin Fish, and Ben Ullrich. The photography was undertaken by: Thomas Bray, Griffin Fish, and Dr. Danielle Willkens.