223 Oak Grove Church Road
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Last updated on November 21, 2024
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The Oak Grove Baptist Church is in the old community of Hermitage, four miles north of Waynesboro. In 1886, African Americans settled in the area and established a church in the middle of their settlement. The name Oak Grove originated from the large, forested area and was first recorded in an 1893 land deed. The first church building was a small shed located in a clearing in a wooded area. Church members combined their funds to purchase land full of oak trees for a church building. They cleared the lot to erect the Oake Grove Baptist Church. The present church cornerstone indicates that major rebuilding or improvements were accomplished in 1901. Between 1989 and 1991, the congregation constructed a pastor’s study, chair stand, kitchen, and new walls in the basement. Over the years, the Church increased membership and expanded to accommodate. In 1996, a new and larger sanctuary with a fellowship hall was built and dedicated to Oak Hill Baptist. The old sanctuary was remodeled into classrooms. The Church celebrated its 123rd anniversary in 2024. The most recent survey of the church cemetery was compiled by Joe Nutt in 2000, who documented 70 burials.
