I briefly mentioned Springfield Village Park in a prior story about geocaching in Augusta. Today, I’m going to go more in-depth about its historical significance. If you decide to make a visit, plaques throughout the park provide historical context that goes far beyond what I’ll be touching on here.
Photojournalism: Geocaching in Downtown Augusta
Springfield Village Park
Springfield Village Park, located at 1200 Reynolds St. in Augusta, was opened in 2003. Designed by Thomas O. Ramsey, the park commemorates the free black Springfield Community that was founded in the 18th century. The nucleus of this community was Springfield Baptist Church, one of the oldest black churches in the United States.
Springfield Baptist Church
The brick church building was constructed in 1897, and is one of two surviving structures of the Springfield Community.
Original Springfield Baptist Church
Established in 1801, the original Springfield Baptist Church stands directly behind the newer building and is the second of the two surviving Springfield Community structures. Two years after the Civil War, William Jefferson White founded the Augusta Institute alongside Rev. Edmund Turney and Rev. Richard C. Coulter.
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The purpose of the school was to help newly-freed African-Americans adjust from the life of a slave to the life of a freed man. The school moved to Atlanta in 1879 and changed its name to the Atlanta Baptist Seminary. In 1913, the school’s name changed to Morehouse, the HBCU that still exists in Atlanta today.
And They Both Went Down Into the Water
One of the two sculptures made for Springfield Village Park is by Richard Hunt. According to Hunt, “The fountain reflects and symbolizes the conversion of the first African to Christianity and the part Springfield Baptist Church played in the early conversion of African Americans to Christianity.”
Tower of Aspirations
Another of the two sculptures made by Richard Hunt. This one towers over the park, stretching towards the sky.
St. Julian Cox, III is a photojournalist for The Augusta Press. Reach him at saintjulianc@gmail.com.
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