• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SC Picture Project

The purpose of the South Carolina Picture Project is to celebrate the beauty of the Palmetto State while preserving some of its vanishing landscapes.

  • FIND A LANDMARK
    • BY CITY
    • BY COUNTY
    • BY CATEGORY
    • BYGONE LANDMARKS
  • ADD IMAGES
  • VOLUNTEERS
  • SPONSORS
  • DONATE
  • Subscribe!

St. James Baptist Church

SC PICTURE PROJECT Leave a Comment

SC Picture Project / Beaufort County / St. James Baptist Church

The glamour of the popular resorts on Hilton Head Island often overshadow one of its oldest communities, Mitchelville. The village ascended from the embers of battle and the glory of freedom and is home to St. James Baptist Church, one of the oldest remaining institutions in the historic island hamlet.

St. James Baptist Church Mitchelville

Mike Stroud of Bluffton, 2011 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent

The Civil War battle of Port Royal took place on November 7, 1861. Union troops defeated Confederate troops at Fort Walker on Hilton Head Island and Fort Beauregard on nearby St. Philip’s Island, with most landowners fleeing the area and abandoning their properties in the process. The result left hundreds of slaves occupying the land along with Union soldiers.

The vast number of remaining slaves were unsure of their next step during this time of transition. Were they free or were they slaves? Union officers sought help from the government to create a humane solution to the problem of where to house the displaced slaves. In April of 1962, a military order was issued granting the slaves of this area their freedom. But the question of how and where they would live remained.

After attempting to shelter the freedmen in a military-style camp, it was clear that a long-term plan was needed to ensure the freedmen’s success. Union officer General Ormsby Mitchel designated a local area to be established as an official freedmen’s village, including an appointed teacher and voting districts. This new community, Mitchelville, was named for General Mitchel. It is the oldest community to require compulsory education.

St. James Baptist Church in Mitchelville was formed in 1886 by members of the former African Baptist Church. The current building is the congregation’s third, built in 1972.

Learn more about the rich and important history of Mitchelville.

Plan Your Trip: St. James Baptist Church

Where is St. James Baptist Church located?
Address: 208 Dillon Road, Mitchelville, SC 29936
GPS Coordinates: 32.234592,-80.691522
What else should I see?
Zion Chapel of Ease 3.6 miles
Folly Field Beach 3.7 miles
Skull Creek 5.5 miles
Pinckney Island Wildlife Refuge 7 miles
Show me more like this!
  • See other South Carolina Churches
  • Hilton Head Historic Sites
    St. James Baptist Church Map

    Please Donate

    We’d like thank everyone who generously supports the South Carolina Picture Project. You provide us with the inspiration and financial support we need to keep doing what we do. Every reader contribution, big or small, is so valuable. If you have enjoyed this page or found it helpful, please pitch in. Even donation helps – and it only takes a minute. Thank you!

    Support the SC Picture Project!

    $ 15.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Donation Total: $15.00

    Related posts:

    Baynard MausoleumZion Chapel of Ease Church of the CrossChurch of the Cross Union Church BeaufortUnion Church Mackay CreekMackay Creek Mary Jenkins Praise HouseMary Jenkins Praise House

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    FIND A LANDMARK

    Your Email Here

    Help Keep This Site Online

    We depend on the support of today’s readers to document South Carolina’s historic landmarks for future generations. Please help us continue this important work by making a donation below.

    $ 15.00
    Select Payment Method
    Personal Info

    Donation Total: $15.00

    Recent Posts

    • Strand Theater
    • Camden Depot
    • Charleston City Marina
    • Secession Hill
    • Faris Store

    Our Sponsor

    Footer

    ABOUT US

    We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to preserve the history of South Carolina’s historic, natural, and cultural landmarks before they are lost to time. This website serves as a permanent digital archive of over 2,300 South Carolina landmarks – and counting. Learn more about our work.

    CONTACT US

    We’d love to hear from you! Send us a quick email at share@scpictureproject.org.

    If you are looking for permission to use a photo, please reach out directly to the photographer listed in the image’s credit. If there is no link, contact us and we will do our best to help.

    SIGN UP

    Subscribe here to receive the “SC Photo of the Week” in your inbox! Each Tuesday, we highlight a different South Carolina landmark. Emails include the landmark’s history, its location and a map, and of course, incredible photos!

    South Carolina Picture Project © 2021 · All Rights Reserved