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In June 2003, Harmony
Universalist Church transformed from Church to
Home at the hands of new owners.
Harmony
Church was constructed in 1896 by a
Universalist congregation that arrived in
Coweta County from South Carolina in the
1850s. Located
in Senoia, Ga., the 107-year-old church was
last used regularly in the 1980s, though
several groups have since rented it
temporarily. In 2002, The Georgia Trust
received the church as a donation from the
last surviving members of the congregation.
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Harmony Church
was purchased by Tammy and Gerald Northcutt in
June 2003. |
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The need for
roof repairs led the few remaining members to
seek out The Georgia Trust to make repairs and
to ensure the historical integrity of the
church in the future.
Tammy and Gerald Northcutt of Riverdale, the
new owners of Harmony Church, were looking for
a good restoration project, and they found one
in Harmony Universalist Church.
“Mr.
Northcutt is a former pastor, and the couple
was active in preservation work when they
lived in New York,” said Mandy Elliott,
Revolving Fund coordinator, “so restoring an
old church to use as a home made perfect sense
for them.”
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While the pews
and pulpit will be removed, most of the building will remain in
its original form.
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The
church, which sits on 1.3 acres, is a good
example of vernacular religious architecture.
Its 1,450 square feet includes
sanctuary, foyer and two bathrooms.
The interior is paneled entirely in
wood. The
building has original windows, doors and
hardwood floors.
The Northcutts removed the
pews and pulpit, keeping most of the building
the same, adding only a few walls to form
bedrooms.
Recently the Newnan-Coweta
Historical Society recognized the Northcutts
for their preservation and restoration of the
church, which was featured on HGTV in 2004.
Do
you know of an endangered historic property in
your town? The Georgia Trust may be able to
help. Contact Frank White, Revolving
Fund director, at 404-855-7807. |
