Contact Us:Office Phone: 1 (706) 935-3360Pastor: 1 (706) 449-4063Address: 13198 Alabama HighwayRinggold, Georgia 30736
History of Woodstation Church
Before settlers came to the valley, the Nick-a-jack trail linked New Echota, the Cherokee capital (near Calhoun), with Leets Springs (Beaumont), Crawfish Spring (Chickamauga), and Nick-A-Jack cave and village west of Lookout Mountain. The route of the current Nick-A-Jack Road in Catoosa County follows the original trail. The “Alabama Road” was built along a native trail that was part of a Cherokee pathway from East Tennessee to Alabama.
Following the Cherokee Land Lottery in 1832, settlers began moving into Northwest Georgia, and some of the first settlers in what is now Catoosa County came to the Dogwood and Woodstation valleys. One of the first communities established in Catoosa County was near the intersection of Alabama Road” and the Nick-a-jack trail – what we now know as Woodstation. It is interesting to note that Woodstation was derived from Wood’s Station, a stagecoach stop operated by a man named Woods, on the coach line from Knoxville to Birmingham.
There is convincing evidence that the first white person to establish residence in the county was the missionary Reverand Humphrey Posey who came to what would become the Woods Station community to minister to Cherokees in the area. He was born in VA in 1780 and came to Georgia in the 1820s, some 10 years before the Cherokee Land Lottery. His wife and a daughter are buried in the Woodstation Community, just a few hundred yards north of Woodstation Church, and he moved on to West Georgia passing away in 1844.
There is also evidence that the first white settler who established residence following the land lottery was a man named Williams, who was the first of many who would establish residence, in what is now Woodstation Valley. Descendants of Williams and other pioneer families and early members of our church are members here today, along with other believers who wish to worship God in the Wesleyan Tradition.
As settlers first moved into what had been the Cherokee Territory, they first built their homes, followed soon by the building of churches, and then schools.
Our first church structure was built near our present site and was of log construction with handmade benches for pews, and with no closeable windows or doors. The church officially received members in 1837 (a year before the Cherokee Removal) and was established as Bethel Methodist Church.
Following the Cherokee Land Lottery in 1832, settlers began moving into Northwest Georgia, and some of the first settlers in what is now Catoosa County came to the Dogwood and Woodstation valleys. One of the first communities established in Catoosa County was near the intersection of Alabama Road” and the Nick-a-jack trail – what we now know as Woodstation. It is interesting to note that Woodstation was derived from Wood’s Station, a stagecoach stop operated by a man named Woods, on the coach line from Knoxville to Birmingham.
There is convincing evidence that the first white person to establish residence in the county was the missionary Reverand Humphrey Posey who came to what would become the Woods Station community to minister to Cherokees in the area. He was born in VA in 1780 and came to Georgia in the 1820s, some 10 years before the Cherokee Land Lottery. His wife and a daughter are buried in the Woodstation Community, just a few hundred yards north of Woodstation Church, and he moved on to West Georgia passing away in 1844.
There is also evidence that the first white settler who established residence following the land lottery was a man named Williams, who was the first of many who would establish residence, in what is now Woodstation Valley. Descendants of Williams and other pioneer families and early members of our church are members here today, along with other believers who wish to worship God in the Wesleyan Tradition.
As settlers first moved into what had been the Cherokee Territory, they first built their homes, followed soon by the building of churches, and then schools.
Our first church structure was built near our present site and was of log construction with handmade benches for pews, and with no closeable windows or doors. The church officially received members in 1837 (a year before the Cherokee Removal) and was established as Bethel Methodist Church.
In about 1870 a new frame building was constructed just south of the original structure. The construction was completed by members of the church.
In 1909 a third church building was completed about seventy-five feet south of the second structure. The front of this building faced East, toward the Alabama Road.
In 1909 a third church building was completed about seventy-five feet south of the second structure. The front of this building faced East, toward the Alabama Road.
The present stained-glass windows and pews were purchased by members. In 1961 the name of the church was changed from Bethel Methodist Church to Woodstation Methodist Church.
In 1968, Woodstation Methodist Church became a part of the United Methodist Church, and the name was changed to Woodstation United Methodist Church. The Education Wing was completed after 1978.
In 1968, Woodstation Methodist Church became a part of the United Methodist Church, and the name was changed to Woodstation United Methodist Church. The Education Wing was completed after 1978.
In 2023, the congregation of the church voted unanimously to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church and become an independent church. Our name was changed to Woodstation Church.
Woodstation Church is the oldest continually operating church in Catoosa County.
Woodstation Church is the oldest continually operating church in Catoosa County.