Take a look at seven of the oldest churches in Mississippi. See where they are

History and religion go hand in hand in Mississippi.

So, as long there were settlers in Mississippi there have been religious gatherings and then actual churches. The list of some of the oldest church buildings in Mississippi is interesting in that many of the churches were established before 1800 and before Mississippi became a state in 1817.

Of the oldest church buildings in Mississippi, it likely will not surprise you to know that many are in Natchez, which has reputation of having some of the oldest buildings in Mississippi because it was spared the destruction of the Civil War that many other towns in Mississippi were not afforded.

Coastal Mississippi communities date to the late 1600s but there is no record of any churches in that era surviving to modern times. According to the book Old Southwest to Old South, a Catholic chaplain was brought to the area along with early French settlers in 1699.

There is one town on the list that may surprise you, however. Here are seven of the oldest churches in Mississippi:

Woodville Baptist Church: 1809

According to the historical marker outside the church, the church assumed its independence in 1800 from the Salem Church and was called Bethel Baptist Church. During the early 1800s, the church was inactive for several years.

The brick church building, which was built in 1809, is the oldest church building in Mississippi. After the town of Woodville was organized in 1811, the church building was moved to town. The building was condemned in 1896 so the congregation met elsewhere until major renovations were made in 1914.

Trinity Episcopal Church (Natchez): 1822

According to the church website, the lot, on which present-day Trinity Church stands, was purchased in April of 1822 for $1,500.  Construction began immediately.  The first services in the present building, were held in the Spring of 1823.  Regular services have been held at Trinity Church ever since.

The congregation of Trinity Episcopal Church was officially founded in 1822.  The church building is the oldest in Natchez, and the oldest existing Episcopal church building in Mississippi.

Church records from Trinity Episcopal suggest the Episcopal Church was brought to the Natchez area by missionary Adam Cloud, who is said to have brought the doctrine of the American Episcopal Church around 1790.

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St. Paul Episcopal (Woodville): 1824

The frame of St. Paul Episcopal was raised in 1824, and on April 10, 1825, the first service was held.  The building stands today, with the exception of minor repairs, as it was built.  The organ, still in use, was the gift of Major A. M. Feltus, in 1827.

Woodville Methodist Church: 1824

Woodville Methodist Church was built in 1824 and lays claim to being the oldest Methodist church building in Mississippi and possibly in several adjoining states. The sanctuary has been completely redecorated and an educational unit added. This church entertained the Mississippi Conference four times before the Civil War and at least 10 Bishops have preached here.

The name of the church for the last several decades had been the Woodville United Methodist Church. However, it, like many United Methodist Churches in the state disaffiliated on June 28, 2023.

Washington Methodist Church (Natchez): 1828

The Methodist Church at Washington, Mississippi was organized in 1799 by Rev. Tobias Gibson, who came from South Carolina. It is recognized as the first Methodist church organized in Alabama, Louisiana, or Mississippi.

In 1812, a lot on the Jefferson College campus was secured from Lorenzo Dow, and a brick church building was erected. It was used until the present church was constructed in 1828. This building was remodeled, and the balconies were removed in 1902.

Pine Ridge Presbyterian (Natchez): 1829

Pine Ridge Presbyterian, according to its historical records, was started by the Evangelist Rev James Smylie in 1807 as the Washington Presbyterian Church. Washington was that time the Territorial Capital of the old Southwest territory. In 1808 the church moved to a rural community and the name changed to Salem Church. It claims to be the oldest Presbyterian congregation in Mississippi. In 1827 the name was changed to Pine Ridge Presbyterian Church. It was built in 1829 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

First Presbyterian Church (Natchez): 1830

The First Presbyterian Church of Natchez is a Federal style church building. Construction began in 1828 and was dedicated on New Year’s Day in 1830. The existing church is the second church on the site. The earlier Presbyterian Church building, which was designed by architect Levi Weeks, was begun in 1812 and completed in 1815. The construction of this first building preceded by two years the official organization of the church in 1817. However, it was torn down in 1828.

Bonus Church: Rodney Presbyterian Church: 1832

According to the Rodney History and Preservation Society, in 1828, the Legislature of Mississippi granted a charter to that portion of Bethel Congregation worshipping in the former town Rodney in Jefferson County. Steps to erect the present brick church in Rodney were taken in 1829 with dedication on January 1, 1832.

The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Rodney, a modern-day ghost town, sits about 20 miles southwest of Port Gibson where Rodney Road meets Muddy Bayou Road. The town of fewer than 10 people has a number of old buildings, most in varying states of decay or disrepair. All are on private property.

At one time, it sat just 300 feet from the river's edge that was vital to the growth of this town.

While this is a list of some of the oldest churches in Mississippi, if there is one we have missed, please feel free to reach out and help us. If you have a story idea, Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or at 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What are the oldest churches in Mississippi?