Historic Owl Rock Church

Owl Rock Church was founded in 1828 by Richmond Barge and other members of the Mutual Rights faction that withdrew from the Mount Gilead Methodist Episcopal Church. The church is named for an eight foot natural rock closely resembling an owl which is to the rear of the building. This church has taken part in four distinct phases of Methodism in Georgia: as an Associated Methodist Church, 1828-1830; as a Methodist Protestant Church, 1830-1916; as a Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1916-1939; and, since 1939, a Methodist Church. The Annual Conference session of the Methodist Protestant Church was held here in the year 1900. During the Battle of Atlanta many skirmishes were fought in the area and the church is mentioned frequently in the OFFICIAL RECORDS. Following the War Between the States the church sponsored an elementary public school. In 1921 the Sandtown School was created as a consolidation of the Owl Rock, Boat Rock and Sandtown schools.