Fairview Presbyterian Church
Fairview Presbyterian Church, located near Fountain Inn, South Carolina, is one of the oldest Presbyterian congregations in the Upstate region. Founded in 1786, it has a rich history intertwined with the early settlement and development of the area.
The current church building, constructed in 1858, is a two-story structure exemplifying the Greek Revival architectural style. Notable features include white clapboard siding, a tin roof, a pedimented portico, and five square masonry front columns made from bricks reclaimed from a previous church building. The interior retains original elements such as the pulpit and pews, which still display their original feather-graining. In 1949, a one-story Sunday School annex was added to the rear, but the building’s architectural integrity has been preserved. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 .
The church’s cemetery is significant, containing the graves of seven Revolutionary War soldiers, as well as veterans from the Civil War and other conflicts. The oldest marked graves date back to 1791. The cemetery also includes the unmarked graves of enslaved individuals who attended the church before emancipation. A fieldstone wall encloses the cemetery, and a wrought-iron gate, over a century old, guards its entrance .
Fairview Presbyterian Church adheres to traditional practices, such as serving the Lord’s Supper while members sit at a long table and collecting offerings using a cloth pouch attached to a wooden rod. The congregation is known for its welcoming community and commitment to nurturing faith through worship, service, and fellowship .