The bell that survived the Civil War

The church bell of Atlanta First United Methodist Church has been used in three buildings since 1850 and is the only one in Atlanta known to have survived the American Civil War. The church itself has existed for more than 160 years, with the current building constructed in 1903. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

Before the Methodists had their own chapel, different denominations used a small log cabin for church services on alternating Sundays in the mid-1800s. In 1847, the Methodists raised $700 to build their own chapel on new land, becoming the first denomination to do so in Atlanta. This building was called Wesley Chapel, and the bell, which cost an additional $300, was first installed there. Wesley Chapel is also the only church mentioned in Gone With the Wind.

In 1870, the congregation moved to a new Gothic cathedral designed by architect William H. Parkins. By 1902, the congregation sold the property to Asa Candler, who founded the Coca-Cola Company on the former church property. The current building was then constructed in 1903 for $161,000 using granite from Stone Mountain.

In 1968, the church adopted its current name following a merger between the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren. The building remains a significant part of the city's heritage, standing at 311 meters elevation on Peachtree Street Northeast 360.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons