Union Primitive Baptist, founded in 1837, is one of the oldest churches in what is now Lamar County. At the time of its organization, the area was part of Monroe County, on land donated by Benjamin Dumas and two of his sons. The first sanctuary was a simple log structure, later replaced by a frame church in 1856. The building you see today was completed in 1890 and continues to stand as a rare link to early Georgia life.

To understand Union’s beginnings, we must look back to Georgia’s frontier days. In 1805, the state acquired land between the Oconee and Ocmulgee Rivers through the Treaty of Washington. More land followed in 1821 with the Treaty of Indian Springs, signed by Chief William McIntosh, who was later assassinated for his role in the agreement. Monroe County was born out of this treaty, with Lamar County carved from it in 1920.

Union was organized when members split from nearby Shiloh Baptist, which had been founded shortly after the 1821 treaty. In the 1830s, a larger division took place within the Baptist faith. Some members resisted newer practices like mission societies, Sunday Schools, and musical instruments. These “Primitive Baptists” believed in preserving worship in its earliest, simplest form. Union was part of that movement, and its plain furnishings and absence of instruments reflect that devotion to tradition.

The adjoining cemetery is as historic as the sanctuary itself, with the graves of some of the area’s earliest settlers. Thanks to the dedication of its congregation, Union Primitive Baptist has remained well-maintained for more than 125 years. Today, it offers not only a place of worship but also a tangible connection to Georgia’s pioneer past.