Pictured in 1931, a Salem Campmeeting revival is underway in Newton County. The Salem Campmeeting is one of the longest-running events of its kind in the U.S. Georgia Archives, Vanishing Georgia Collection
Salem Campmeeting ‘as close to heaven on earth as you can be’ By TAYLOR BECK
together from across the state and country for a week of faith, alem Campmeeting, which fellowship, family and spiritual is one of the longest-running renewal. spiritual revival meetings Dozens of families gather in the nation, has been held in for the week in simple cabins, Newton County nearly every originally called “tents,” that date year since 1828. back to the mid-1800s, and the In fact, there have only been Salem Campground Hotel, which two instances where the meetwas built in 1938. These suring had to be canceled or altered. round a historic open-air taberThe first was during the 1860s at nacle built in 1854 that serves as the time of the Civil War when the site of worship services three organizers took a two-year hiatus times a day. Hundreds more from due to the historic conflict. The the area attend the services and second instance came just one daily Bible studies, as well as year ago when the COVID-19 youth activities held throughout pandemic took its toll across the the campmeeting. world in 2020, but rather than Salem was a Methodist institucanceling the event, organizers tion for 100 years, although nevchose to hold the meeting virtuer officially part of the church. ally. In the 1930s and 1940s, the The campmeeting is a non-deSalvation Army had an active nominational event held for role in the program. Now interseven days at the Salem Camp denominational, Salem features Ground, located at 3940 Salem a Methodist preacher each year Road — between Covington and and rotates between Baptist and Conyers (a city in neighboring Presbyterian preachers. Rockdale County). The campIn its earliest form, the campground was added to the Nation- meeting was gatherings of farm al Register of Historic Places on families during the “laying by” March 5, 1998. Its primary focus time between the planting of has been to bring Christians crops and harvest time — usually
S
tbeck@covnews.com
22 BICENTENNIAL EDITION
August. Arriving in wagons laden with a week’s supply of food and erecting temporary tents, the families would socialize and attend up to four worship services daily. The late Sam Ramsey, who was former mayor of Covington and a Newton County businessman, was passionate about the campmeeting. Ramsey was a chairman of Salem’s Board of Directors and had attended every campmeeting since before his birth in the 1930s. “I’m 78 years old and I’ve been here for 79 years,” Ramsey told The Covington News in 2017. He said his mother attended Salem Campmeeting while pregnant with him. “I never have missed a year.” Ramsey died Aug. 25, 2020. In 2014, Ramsey went on record to speak about the allure of campmeetings and why they were so special to him. “A lot of the times I feel like it’s as close to heaven on earth as you can be,” he said. “It’s quite an experience. You have to be out there and experience it for yourself.” THE COVINGTON NEWS
