Odessadale Methodist is one of those hidden jewels in Georgia’s rural backcountry, tucked between LaGrange and Greenville in Meriwether County. The little farming community of Odessadale has been around for nearly two centuries, though it wasn’t officially incorporated until 1905. Over the years, it has also been known by other names—Odessa and Xerxes. Xerxes was the name of Colonel Henry Richard Harris’s plantation, one of the area’s most prominent citizens and an early member of the congregation. His wife, Kate Virginia Moses Harris, was the first Sunday School Superintendent of Odessadale Methodist and a devoted worker in the church.

The church itself was organized in the late 1800s by members of the Methodist church in Mountville, who had grown tired of the long Sunday journey by horse and buggy. Land for the church and a school was donated by Miss Odessa Thompson, a member of Odessa Baptist Church and the woman for whom the town was named. Beside the church sits a small graveyard, the resting place of many early settlers—including twenty-five members of the Harman family.

As it turns out, the Harmans had a hand in building the sanctuary itself. According to family historian Gaines Harman, his great-grandfather, Cornelius Harman, led construction and much of the detailed woodwork. Though the church may appear modest from the outside, the interior craftsmanship—combined with its unusual entryway and offset bell tower—showcases the skill and pride of the farming families who built it.

Today, Odessadale Methodist remains active thanks to the stewardship of descendants like the Harmans and the dedication of its current congregation. This rural sanctuary not only reflects the artistry of its builders but also continues to stand as a lasting reminder of faith, community, and tradition in Georgia’s backcountry.