St. Simon’s Church — Peak, South Carolina

This shell of St. Simon’s Episcopal Church in the rural community of Peak in Newberry County once held a vibrant congregation. The church was organized in 1889, and the building was constructed in 1900. According to locals, this was last an active church in the early 1920s. Since then, the property owner left the building to two siblings, one of whom lived in the church, earning himself the nickname “Preacher”. Descendants of Preacher’s sister now live in a home in front of the church and use the building for storage.

More Pictures of St. Simon’s Church

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Reflections on St. Simon’s Church

The painting near the top of the page was done by Pete Holland, who shares: “Today the About Face Plein Air painters from the Columbia Museum of Art were painting at the St. Simon’s Episcopal Church in Peak, SC. It’s a beautiful old church that is in disrepair. My understanding from the neighbor is that the church is about to be relocated and hopefully restored. It has great potential.”

Contributor Jim Jenkins leaves readers with these words about the road to St. Simon’s: “The street leading to the old church is an unpaved, two-rut road that leads from one block to the other. Only one vehicle can use the street at the time, but I did not see any directional signs as to the proper use of the street. In small communities like Peak, people give way to their neighbor.”

Add your own reflections here.

St. Simon’s Church Map

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