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Conway South Carolina Walking Tour
Item 3 of 5
Located near the junction of Kingston Lake and the Waccamaw River, Kingston Presbyterian Church is a historic church built in 1858. It is an excellent example of antebellum Greek Revival architecture and is home to a congregation whose roots date to the 18th century. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

Kingston Presbyterian Church was built in 1858 and is an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture.

Sky, Plant, Building, Tree

Historical records indicate that a church was founded in the area along the Waccamaw River around 1734, which was before Kingston Township was established (Kingston was renamed Conway in 1883). Then before 1754, a minister named John Baxter sometimes preached in the community. Two years later, a Presbyterian congregation was established in Kingston and its minister was Rev. William Donaldson, who served until he died in 1759. It is unclear why, but the congregation seems to have dissolved by 1795. However, local Methodists did use the church for a short time but in the coming years, the church fell into disrepair and was destroyed by a storm in 1813.

In 1855, local Presbyterians called for a new church and congregation to be established. Three years later, the present church was built. It features a portico supported by square columns with recessed panels, square pilasters (columns), and a steeple, which was added in 1962. The church also represents the success and stability that the town had achieved by the time of its construction.

Ainuson, Kweku. "Kingston Presbyterian Church." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. September 28, 2009. http://www.nationalregister.sc.gov/horry/S10817726030/S10817726030.pdf.

"History of the Kingston Presbyterian Church." Kingston Presbyterian Church. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://kingstonpc.org.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kingston_Presbyterian_Church_Conway_SC_Jun_10.JPG