Wesleyan Methodist Campground and Tabernacle - National Registration of Historical Places Application + Photos - #98001485

Wesleyan Methodist Campground and Tabernacle - National Registration of Historical Places Application + Photos - #98001485

Description from Application:

The Wesleyan Methodist Campground and Tabernacle contains at it major feature a historic tabernacle structure along with other auxiliary buildings on an informally landscaped quarter block near downtown Ashburn, Georgia. The tabernacle is of post-and-beam construction with a large corrugated metal hipped roof and seating for approximately 400 people. There is a small, raised platform at the eastern end. The tabernacle is open on three sides, with he side behind the platform being the only enclosed side. The roof is supported by vertical posts with angled bracing, all out of pine, that rest on brick bases. Original moveable pews remain. [update 2022: the pews are no longer there]. The roof was replaced and updated in 1946-1947 and some of the posts repaired in 1951. The four existing auxiliary buildings that may up the rest of the campground include the historic frame kitchen and historic sleeping room, which contains a central hall and eight sleeping chambers with functional wooden shutters, both of which date to 1914, as well as two non-historic buildings, one of which is a restroom building. The site is park-like with grass and several large tree. The property adjoins a residential area and a commercial storage area, and is only a few blocks from Ashburn's central business district. Changes to the property include demolition of the non-historic "bunk house: and the addition of electricity in c. 1980.

Application: 21 pages
Photos: 18 images

Description of Photos:

1 - Campground overview, tabernacle on left; photographer facing northwest

2 - Tabernacle from southwest; photographer facing northwest

3 - Tabernacle from south; photographer facing north

4 - Tabernacle from east side showing only wall covering; photographer facing northeast

5 - Tabernacle, interior view facing toward public/choir/wall area; photographer facing northeast

6 - Tabernacle, interior of roof structure

7 - Campground. building behind tabernacle, kitchen in center of photograph, sleeping room on right; photographer facing north

8 - Campground, with kitchen on left, sleeping room in center, and storage and restroom buildings to right of kitchen; photographer facing east

9 - Kitchen building; photographer facing north

10 - Kitchen, south-east fascade; photographer facing northwest

11 - Kitchen, interior, front room facing front door; photographer facing northwest

12 - Kitchen, interior, front room looking into rear room; photographer facing northeast

13 - Kitchen on left, Sleeping Room (building) on the right; photographer facing north

14 - Sleeping Room (building); photographer facing northeast

15 - Sleeping Room (building); photographer facing east

16 - Sleeping Room (building), interior, facing rear door; photographer facing northeast

17 - Sleeping Room (building), interior, one of the rooms looking toward shuttered window; photographer facing northwest

18 - Other Building (on sketch map), formerly a pre-school; photographer facing north

United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service

https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/98001485

December 22, 1998