History
In 1886, the St. James Baptist Church was established in the town of Mitchelville, the freedmen’s village established by United States Army in 1862 here on Hilton Head Island. The founders of St James Baptist Church were former members of what is now known as First African Baptist Church. When that church relocated to another area on Hilton Head, there were members who desired to continue to have a place to worship in Mitchellville, so from that desire, faith, and courage those founding members organized St. James Baptist Church in August 1886. Since its inception, St. James has continuously strived to be a spiritual and civic presence in the Mitchelville Community of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
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The early written history and records of St. James Baptist Church were tragically lost by fires. The first fire destroyed the sanctuary and its contents. Then a second fire in the home of a church officer, where church records were kept was destroyed. The early history of St James is based mostly on personal accounts documented by the families who have been members for generations along with available public records and articles.
The original sanctuary was a two-story wooden structure. The first sanctuary structure along with its contents was destroyed by fire in the early 1940s. A second wooden sanctuary was built, and St. James continued on in its mission to deliver the word of God and serve its community. The current brick sanctuary was built in 1972 and renovated in 2005. It is located on the corner of Dillon Road and Beach City Road on Hilton Head Island.
St. James Baptist Church has been recognized for its religious, cultural, and historical significance as the oldest continuously operating cultural institution remaining in Historic Mitchelville. A South Carolina State Historical Marker for our church was approved by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History on January 25, 2011.
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St. James serves as the caretaker for two native islander cemeteries which are the Union and Drayton cemeteries. In addition, the church also serves as the caretaker of the now Historic Old Cherry Hill School located across the road from the sanctuary. The Old Cherry Hill school is a wooden one-room schoolhouse and is the first and only freestanding school specifically built for African-American children on Hilton Head Island. From 1937-1956, this one-room schoolhouse with one teacher and approximately 27-32 students in grades 1-6, educated African American children in the Mitchellville area. The St. James Baptist Church purchased the Old Cherry Hill School in 1956. Then renovated and extended the building. The Historic Cherry Hill School was approved and entered on the National Register of Historic Places on November 21, 2012, by the United States Department of the Interior National Park Services.
During its long history, St. James Baptist Church has been under the leadership of numerous pastors sent by God to deliver his word and to teach and lead generations of members. The first pastor of record was known as Rev. Abes. No other information is available. The longest-serving pastor to date at St. James Baptist Church was the Rev. Dr. Charles E. Hamilton Sr, who served as pastor for almost 19 years from October 2000 until May 2019.
The St. James Baptist Church’s presence in the Mitchelville area of Hilton Head has endured for generations. The St. James Baptist church has desired to remain on the grounds on which is founded in 1886. Over the years, that desire was met with resistance as the town of Hilton Head, and its local airport continued to expand. In 2017, the St. James Airport Committee came to the realization that St. James could no longer resist the expansion of the airport without jeopardizing the welfare of its members. The reality became clear that St. James Baptist Church is not a structure but rather a congregation itself. We carry the church and the spirit of God within us. We will continue to worship and serve the Lord as well as continually seeking to bring others to Christ wherever we are.
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However, until that time in which St. James Baptist Church relocates to our new sanctuary and campus, we remain at the intersection of Dillon Road and Beach City Road, and we are…….The Little Church on the Corner That Doesn’t Mind Praising the Lord!
