East Armuchee Baptist Church [video]
This video on the history of East Armuchee Baptist Church is a great one to share as we draw close to the one-year anniversary of the Jordan’s Journey blog. Several elements in this film connect with things I’ve written about on the blog, such as Delila Brown Ward (here, here, and here), some watermelon memories, and the two posts on music at East Armuchee Baptist Church.
Much more history about East Armuchee Baptist Church isn’t reflected in this video, though. It’s difficult to cram over 125 years of history into just a few minutes. There’s so much more to explore–so many interesting facts and family connections. I’ll continue to collect this history and work on new creations for the future, perhaps in a formal written article or maybe an expanded version of this film. Please let me know if you have anything to share, from your personal recollections to old photographs or anything else.
A special thanks goes to Linda Poarch Kerstein for what she shared. All of the vintage footage I used in this video came from a compilation of old home movies filmed by her father in the 1950s. When Linda’s father celebrated his 90th birthday, Linda had the videos transferred to VHS tape (this was before the days of DVD). That compilation, called Poarch’s Memories contains lots of Porach family footage, but also a lot of East Armuchee community footage. The video is priceless. We are very lucky to have it. I am forever grateful first to Mr. Poarch for having the foresight to film this material to begin with and second to Linda for allowing us all to enjoy it. This is a great example of how family memorabilia can be relevant to the broader community. Poarch’s Memories here has allowed me to show a much richer history of East Armuchee Baptist church. So, again, if you have old photos, videos, or other materials and would like to help me preserve the local history, please leave a comment on the blog and get in touch.
If there’s any topic you’d like to see me cover in the future–whether or not you’re from the areas or families I typically write about–leave a comment to let me know about that too. Feedback from you, my readers, will help me keep the journey going.
As always, thanks for coming along on this trip into the past. Please share the video and let others know about Jordan’s Journey.
Take a trip into the past
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I am glad you did this video. I love seeing all my family in the video from so long ago. I am reading a book by a local author who writes about another nearby valley. She writes that many people who are born in this valley stay there until they are tucked into the yielding earth and become a part of the land forever. The book is Moon Over Taylor’s Ridge by Janie Dempsy Watts. It makes me think of East Armuchee Valley and all the ancestors in the cemetery there.
The video is excellent! It brought back so many memories of growing up in East Armuchee and going to the East Armuchee church! I especially enjoyed the family pictures! I think most of the people in it were related in some way!! I enjoyed see the picture of Rhonda running as a little girl, something she can’t do now!! Seeing Mother and Daddy and Grannie Pope made me long for the day I will be with them in our Heavenly home! Thank you for preserving those precious memories for us! This is a priceless video!
Thank you, Jordan. I have enjoyed following your journey. As you know, I have roots in East Armuchee too, including the Keith’s and the Love’s. I certainly enjoyed Linda’s film and seeing the familiar faces of some very young cousins!
Martha Delle and I both think the pastor who is doing the baptism looks like Roy Kinsey, pastor at Macedonia. Since Otis Poarch lived in Villanow, it is possible that he could have done videos of people there as well. I do remember Roy because of going to Bible School and revivals at Macedonia. He was pastor there for many years. I was very glad Martha Delle got to see the video. Her grandson Josh had it on his computer. She really enjoyed it. She watched it twice.
Thank you Jordan for the video, East Armuchee Baptist Church is dear to our heart. Marion was ordained deacon there and I taught Sunday school and bible school there many years,and all three daughter were saved and baptized there, also two were married there. It seems so peaceful there, we always called East Armuchee God’s country, the people there are a great people.
I enjoyed this greatly. Reminded me so much of growing up in a very similar community, Floyd Springs, GA (Near Rome, GA and Armuchee Creek). This was like a quick, short return to the 1950’s.
Thanks for the memories