Unity Grove Campmeeting

The Pickens County, AL courthouse records were destroyed when the courthouse burned in 1876, so there is no written history as to exactly when Unity Grove Church and Campground were founded.

Ruby Hammond Hollingsworth recorded in her family history that on April 8th, 1882, her maternal grandparents, Jeremiah Freeman Shelton, and his wife, Wincey Ann Johnson Shelton, deeded 20 acres of land for a gospel campground. The property adjoined the Unity Grove Church property.

We know that there was a Unity Grove Church as early as 1841 because of an amusing story told by old timers. Mrs. Julia Ann Fox (Gregg) was born near here in January 1842 and used to tell of her father, Jacob Fox, moving to the Palmetto community before she was born. Not long after moving here, he was walking past Unity Grove Church and met another gentleman. Mr. Fox introduced himself---"I'm Jacob Fox." The the other man said, "I'm Jacob Coon". Story has it that they almost got into a fist-a-cuff because they each thought the other was making fun of their name.

Another record found in the Leroy Shelton family verifies that story. It also documents that "Martha Lowe joined the Unity Grove Church in 1841". Leroy and Martha were were married in 1843. Other early members were Emily A. Dorroh, 1845; Margaret "Peggy" Shelton, 1847; Samuel T. 'Tun' Shelton, 1847; Jeremiah Freeman Shelton, 1848; and many others.

For many years there was a 'brush arbor' on or near the present site of the Arbor, possibly even before the church was built. The exact date the Campground tents and Arbor were built is not known. It was constructed by all the men in the community and the massive beams, upright posts, framework, and braces are mortised by had to fit and fastened together with wooden pegs. They used no nails in the original design. We believe the present Arbor was built sometime between 1847 and 1858, because 'Tun' Shelton was one of the men who "mortised the enormous beams and framework of the Tabernacle (Arbor)" and he came from North Carolina and settled in the community in 1847. Records indicate that Tom Pennington was one of the men who helped build the Arbor. Also, Lillie White Montgomery recalled her grandfather, John Shelton White, helping hew the beams and build the Arbor. This would place the building before the Civil War because he was killed in the war.

As early as 1858, Campmeeting was held around the first of October--after the crops had been harvested, but before severe winter weather set in. Families came and stayed for two weeks--they brought everything they needed, including the stove and livestock. The 'tents' at Unity Grove were wooden structures, and at one time, two rows of tents surrounded the Arbor on three sides. Four tents were destroyed by fire in the late 1920's. Boys from Palmetto High School left school and helped fight the fire.

Palmetto was never a 'town', but it had a school, several churches, several businesses such as a jug factory, a cotton gin, and a sawmill. The road located to the north of the campground (County Road 3) is the old stagecoach road from Tuscaloosa, AL to Columbus, MS. This stretch of the road was called Buttermilk Road because it was extremely bumpy and if you traveled it with a churn of fresh milk in the wagon, you'd likely have buttermilk when you got where you were going. The Palmetto Post Office was located one mile west of the Campground on what is now Watermill Road.

Back when Campmeeting was held for two weeks in October, school would let out so the children could help with the harvest. In later years, fewer families farmed and the school no longer let out. Campmeeting was then changed to August and shortened to one week. In recent years, the services have been moved to July so that children and youth can attend before school starts. There were a couple of years during WWII when so many male members of the community were in service that Campmeeting was not held. But thing returned to normal after the war.

Over the years, some modern features have been added for the convenience of the campers. We a few RV hookups, three bathhouses with showers, washers, and dryers. Also, a lunchroom has been built so the campers no longer have to cook three meals a day in the July heat. The days of carrying bucket after bucket of water from the hand-pump at the bottom of the hill are over, and most of the tents now have running water. Although the tents may not be what some people consider valuable real estate, to the owners they are some of the most valuable property around--they are passed down from generation to generation--and are more comfortable than they look. They are owned by individuals and are bought and sold or inherited.

There is one tradition that hasn't changed for nearly 100 years--the blowing of the horn. Fifteen minutes before each worship service, the campers are called to worship by the sound of a fox horn. The late Mr. Frank Dorroh blew the horn for over 60 years, then one of his daughters, the late Mary Elizabeth Dorroh Farrar, continued the tradition. At her death, her son, the later Robert Farrar, took up the fox horn. Now the horn is blown by April Hammond Kyles. Children of all ages love to try to blow the horn, but it is not as easy as one might think.

Every year there are descendents of many of the original families at Campmeeting--they gather in from various states--Illinois, Virginia, Mississippi, Texas, Alaska, and the list goes on.

Over the years, hundreds of persons have given their lives to Christ at Campmeeting--heaven is filled with these saints and others are still here serving the Lord.

Join us next year and see what you've been missing. We think our Campmeeting is one of the best kept secrets of Pickens County, AL but we want to share it with you.

Donations to help support Unity Grove UMC, Cemeteries, or Campground can be mailed to:

Church or cemeteries: Judy H. Boler, 6511 Co Rd 3, Reform, AL 35481

Campground: Teresa Mordecai, P O Box 582, Reform, AL 35481