Slave Graveyard And Reconstruction History At Allison Creek Presbyterian Church

Historic Allison Creek Presbyterian Church.

One thing this blogger finds fascinating about cemeteries in old church yards is the history it holds, the stories of lives that lived though that history etched in stone. 

Historic Allison Creek Presbyterian Church is located in York County, South Carolina just off SC Highway 274 north of the city of Rock Hill was built by African-American slaves in 1854, and has two graveyards: the first is the Clay Hill Graveyard surrounded by a stone wall, and the other is a "slave graveyard" where former slaves and free men and women of color were buried located in the nearby woods that can be accessed by a small hiking trail. Through the outstanding efforts of the congregation of the church in the last 15 years, the old slave cemetery is slowly being cleaned and restored. New markers detailing the locations of the graves were installed in 2010.

The name of the church comes from nearby Allison Creek, a tributary of the nearby Catawba River. 

Graveyard marker leading to the trail.

Walking sticks provided by the church for visitors walking
the old slave cemetery trail.

Sadly most of these graves are marked only with a small stone,
or a white Fleur-De-Lis post marking the spot where a soul lies
in rest, their name Known But To God.

Confederate Veterans are buried in the main walled cemetery.
Note the older original version of the Southern Cross of Honor.

The church athletic field across the road from the main building.

A Little Free Library can also be found on the path across the
road from the church near the activity field.

A delightful little chapel also sits across the road from
Allison Creek Presbyterian Church.

Also included at Allison Creek Church near the little chapel is a historical marker that acknowledges a less than noble aspect of Southern heritage and identity, but one that none-the-less deserves to be remembered. These markers were installed earlier last year.