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St. George's Episcopal Church

The first services for what eventually became St. George's Episcopal Church were held in 1866 in Amity Academy, also known as Chapel Hill Academy. These, services were held by Reverend Samuel Swann Barber who was the first missionary of the Episcopal Church in Hyde County. In the fall of 1868 permission was requested of Bishop Thomas Atkinson of the Diocese of North Carolina for the creation of a parish in Hyde County. Permission was received from Bishop Atkinson for the creation of a parish in Lake Landing Township, and St. George's Parish was officially organized on November 25, 1868. Reverend Barber was the first rector of the new parish. The parish became an official part of the Diocese in May of 1869.

On July 20, 1895, land was secured from Nathaniel and Mary E. Beckwith "and deeded to Henry S. Gibbs, Edward Clark, and Milton Selby, Vestrymen and Trustees of the Episcopal St. George's Church of St. George's Parish", as a site for the construction of a parish church. The church was built during 1874 and 1875. The church is a small white-frame structure with leaded stained glass windows giving the appearance of a small beautiful chapel. One feels a most reverent attitude upon entering the sanctuary. The church was consecrated by Bishop Lyman on April 14, 1878. A leaded stained glass window is in the church as a memorial to Bishop Lyman. Six years after the construction of the church, on August 16, 1880, at a meeting of the vestry of St. George's Parish, it was decided that a rectory should be built. Land was given by Dr. Milton Selby, and the rectory was built by the church members approximately three miles from the present church. In 1935 the rectory and a part of the land was sold to Robert Cahoon, and new rectory was built on a plot of land adjoining church property. This rectory was destroyed by fire in 1970. Later the Clydia Berry home was purchased from Leslie Gibbs and has since been known as the Episcopal Rectory. This rectory is located approximately one mile from the church. Further construction to the church plant was done in 1957 when a Parish House was built on a site slightly west of the church between the church and the rectory. The purpose of this building was to provide classrooms for the Church School as well as to provide a location for general meetings and other church functions. The church is surrounded by a cemetery containing the remains of the early founders of the parish and descendants of these members. There are many memorials in the church given in memory of many of these early leaders. St. George's Church is located in Lake Landing Township approximately three miles west of Engelhard on U.S. Highway 264. The church does not have a resident rector at the present time. However, the church members anticipate the arrival of a rector when one is available.  [See a list of funerals performed in this church.]

(Information from Hyde County History published by the Hyde Co. Historical Society in 1976.  All photographs were taken in 2013 by Jeannette Marie Zimmerman)