The historic Hebron Presbyterian Church, situated on a picturesque stretch of land on Johns Island, South Carolina, has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The former church, now known as Hebron Center, received the designation 160 years after its establishment.
This designation is unique as we find ourselves amid the destruction and desire by the federal government to erase African American history, which is American history, from the nation’s conscience, libraries, schools, and museums.
The application process began in 2023 when the building received a historic landmark designation from the Charleston County Historic Preservation Commission and the Charleston County Council.
With the assistance of students from the Clemson University Graduate School for Historic Preservation, Brittany V. Lavelle Tulla, Architectural Historian and owner of BVL Historic Preservation Research, and Brad Sauls, Supervisor of Registration, Grants, and Local Government Assistance State Historic Preservation Office for the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, what seemed like a long shot, became a reality on April 28, 2025.
Through the State Historic Preservation Office, the church received funding from the National Park Service’s Underrepresented Communities Grant to hire Tulla’s firm to prepare the property’s submission for the process of listing a property in the National Register of Historic Places is complex and lengthy, particularly when there is a new addition to the National Register from South Carolina.
Sauls said, “Historic properties associated with African American history in South Carolina are abundant, but the number and variety of those resources have not always been reflected in the National Register. At the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, we have made a concerted effort over the last 30 years to increase the number of listings associated with African American history in the state. Recently, we used an Underrepresented Communities grant from the National Park Service to fund eight new nominations for African American resources, including Hebron Presbyterian Church.
Nomination documents require detailed physical descriptions and rigorously researched and documented histories. While anyone may submit a nomination, the reality is that historic preservation is a highly professionalized field, and it is most efficient to hire an experienced consultant to prepare a nomination whenever possible. Ms. Tulla’s research and writing skills enabled her to make the case for Hebron and have it listed in the National Register. Hebron’s story is now permanently documented with our agency and the National Park Service so that the public can learn about this significant place.”
Tulla said, “Hebron Presbyterian Church joins a list that comprises properties across the nation deemed worthy of preservation and celebration. Its history is special and unique, and should be shared with all Americans. Hebron’s listing celebrates the collective history of Johns Island. It represents old Johns Island and the character and culture we need to protect.”
This application process typically takes between one and two years to complete.
Hebron Presbyterian Church was founded in 1865 on John’s Island, South Carolina, at the end of the Civil War. The community of faith left their former place of worship, Johns Island Presbyterian Church, to forge a new community of faith, one that brought freedom. This new community would begin under a bush tree until a building could be erected. The details are sparse, but according to the church’s archives, the first church was built with wood from a shipwreck off Deveaux Bank near Kiawah Island, which had a load of timber. Then, the pastor, The Reverend Ishmael Moultrie, the first Black person ordained as a minister by the post-Civil War South Carolina Negro Presbytery, sent congregation members in rowboats and barges to retrieve the cargo.
Through faith and might, the congregation built a church and meeting house that would stand the test of time. Congregants worshiped in the building until 1965, when a new brick church was constructed adjacent to it. The building not only served as a house of worship but also later as a senior citizens’ center in 1980. The old church has survived numerous natural disasters, including Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which partially dislodged it from its foundation, necessitating its being hauled back upright and partial reconstruction.
In 1990, Hebron and Zion Presbyterian churches consolidated to form a new worshiping community, Hebron Zion Presbyterian Church. Hebron Zion Church continues to aid in preservation efforts on the Sea Islands. In 2022, it was the host site of a History Harvest, sponsored by the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina. During this event, community members shared obituaries and funeral programs of their loved ones. Representatives from the museum collected and scanned the information, and contributors had their digitalized information placed on thumb drives for preservation.
“[Hebron Presbyterian Church] history is special and unique and should be shared with all Americans. With Hebron’s listing, it celebrates the collective history of Johns Island.”
Josephine Simmons Robinson, a lifelong member, grew up in Hebron Presbyterian Church, where she has fond memories of worshiping. She grew up in the Mullet Hall portion of the Island, where they walked to church every Sunday, picking up friends along the way. They had Sunday school first, and then they took their place in the front of the church for worship. “We (the children) took up about two benches during service.” She says, “It is fantastic to see the building recognized as a historic place, finally. It is about time; it is an honor for us.”
Sisters Kathleen Green and Nancy Butler have fond memories of worshiping from the church balcony. “We loved attending Hebron Church,” Green said. “We have lots of memories there, and I remember the ice cream floats we would have after service,” Butler said.
The church will hold a reception this fall to commemorate the historic designation.
