HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — In 1888, the railroad wanted one more stop on its route in Houston County for the North-South line. It became known as the Suwannee River Route to Florida, so Elko came to life.
Soon after, folks built a church.
In another installment of Sacred Spaces, Suzanne Lawler shows how Elko Baptist Church almost became just a page in history itself if it weren't for a caring congregation who wanted to save the past.
Elko Baptist Church Pastor Wayne Holcomb has almost 20 years in the pulpit, but it was an unlikely road which landed him in the tiny town.
"It's a story that never gets old to tell. This is how it looked when we came here in August 2014," he said.
But before we get to 2014, we've got to go a lot further back. After the previous pastor passed away, everything dissolved into silence.
Robbie and Joseph Walker moved to Elko in 1976.
"If I know the songs I try to help out," said Joseph.
He's 94-years-old and is up front strumming the strings most Sundays, but the Walkers remember the harder years.
"There were times where maybe it was five or six, maybe eight at most, in the church," he said.
Holcomb already had a preaching job in Houston County, but when he heard about the abandoned Elko Baptist, he felt called to check it out.
"The Bible and the offering plate and I believe there was $6 left from the last offering. It was like time stopped for the old church until we were led here," he said.
Ellie Loudermilk is with the Houston County Historical Society. She says those good bones helped Elko Baptist survive for the few years it sat abandoned.
"Given the time it was built I would say yes, it was built with strong heart pine timbers," she said.
But as a historian, she also knows once someone walks away from a place of worship, it's rarely revived.
"In this area of Middle Georgia I've known of none. This is the only one," said Loudermilk.
Now, voices sing out every Sunday. They even live stream it all and gently remind Holcomb to turn on his microphone.
The church is like a ghost in the night. Holcomb says they haven't found any rolls for the congregation or any baptism records.
"It was so wonderful sitting there in that little sanctuary feeling a little bit of yesterday," said Loudermilk.
It's a true success story; a church that has its spirit back and people creating a new history.
"If we had to sum it up in one word, I believe that would be the word... revival."
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