St. George's Church

Log churches were widespread throughout Pendleton County in the 18th and 19th centuries. St. George's Church is one of the few remaining buildings present in the county as many have been replaced over the years. The church was built in 1850 to serve the Methodist congregation of Smoke Hole, a community in the north of the county.

Smoke Hole Canyon is a well known feature of Pendleton County, famous for its natural beauty as the South Branch of the Potomac River has cut the canyon through millions of years. Smoke Hole most likely gets its name from the smokey mist generated by the low river. Since the 1700's, local residents have formed a distinct community separate from the rest of the county. During the Civil War, Smoke Hole was known as one hideout of the Swamp Dragons, a Union-aligned militia that raided the Southern-sympathizing areas of the county.

St. George's Church was originally built around 1850 as the Methodist Episcopal Meeting House. You may find some references to the building as the Palestine Church. Log churches were common throughout the county's early history. Indeed, many of the churches existing today began their life as log structures only to be replaced over the years with modern structures. Today, St. George's Church is one of the few remaining log churches, and may be the only original log church to still stand.