What Is the Laurel Springs Primitive Baptist Church?
This is the oldest standing church in Cosby, Tennessee and a great example of vernacular architecture from the early 1910s!
What Makes It Historical?
The Laurel Springs Primitive Baptist Church came about during a 1911 rift within its predecessor, the Bethany Primitive Baptist Church of Christ! Disagreeing over doctrine and Sunday School, this ultra conservative faction set off to create its own church on land donated by church member, Calvin Jenkins. Building it was a whole community effort, which took three months and involved no fewer than seven church members! It was made up of a single room with board and batten walls, plus several rows of pews leading to a pulpit, and it opened in September 1914 with a three-day meeting of the Tennessee and Nolichucky Primitive Baptist Association! It was also primitive in that it did not have electricity or plumbing! Nonetheless, folks continued to worship here all the way until the last surviving member passed away in 2012, marking nearly a hundred years in service!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Smoky Mountain Historical Society!
- Donate to the Smoky Mountain Historical Society!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
278 Laurel Springs Rd
Cosby, TN 37722
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The church is closed, but you can visit the exterior any time you like!