Ai Church, at the corner of Alcorn Road and Highway 68 in Oak Ridge, appears to be on the road to full restoration. Spring 2009, when this church was featured on Greensboro Daily Photo (see here), there was little indication that someone was making an effort to save it. Today, Preservation Oak Ridge is renovating the 1,400 foot structure that was built in the 1800's. Through fundraisers and donations from the local community, the church will be transformed into the gateway to Oak Ridge. Local lore indicates that the cemetery, on the eastern side of the property, came into being at the time of the Revolutionary War.
Estimates indicate that the cost of renovating this church and adding outdoor facilities, including a picnic area and restrooms, will cost at least 200,000. The price tag is hefty for this community, in the northwest quadrant of Guilford County. However, given its proximity to the Old Mill of Guilford, the combined effect of two historic properties will make one's entrance into Oak Ridge from the south truly grand.
Thank you for visiting us on Sacred Sunday when we feature something of a spiritual nature from one of the many religions of Greensboro and the surrounding area. Stop back tomorrow and see a pre-Civil War grave located in the Ai Cemetery.
Thanks to my ever vigilant friends who caught the typo in today's post. Lore, now lure! Correction made. If you already read the error, please forgive! If you are just now reading, we're telling on ourselves. Mr. GDP catches these things-- when he gets around to reading before we publish. Today, he was a trail bike riding so I was left to the mercy of our diligent readers.
Janis, "Mrs. GDP"
P.S. Ai Cemetery will actually be featured on Tuesday, not Monday as stated above.
Posted by: Janis | Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Oh, I do love country churches... I so enjoy attending worship services in them... you can 'feel' the saints of times past in the pews and reverberating sounds of voices lifted to God... Love your original post too.
Posted by: Madge | Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 07:15 PM
the new roof should be on by the first of the year if you want to take more pics just come on by...i am one of the carpenters working on the foundation
Posted by: Brad | Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 08:01 PM