Historical Marker

New Hope Baptist Church

This church was founded in 1873 by Reverend Nathan Oggs, a former slave and a pastor who organized four churches in the area. New Hope joined the Zion Hill District Baptist Association in 1887. The church, comprised of many former slaves, met at rev. Oggs’ home for several years until they built a church on 2.5 acres in 1876. The African American Church expanded quickly and constructed a larger church on property purchased by Oggs in 1884. The church moved in the 1890s near Catfish Creek and again in 1957 to its present location. Ancestral membership spans nine generations. The New Hope Missionary Baptist Church has faithfully served the spiritual needs of the community for over 140 years.