rfesk gave the history above. I think abandoned churches are fairly common here...usually burned or otherwise rendered unusable.
My wife and I actually during our first date found an old abandoned church, were later engaged and married there - located near Waycross, GA:
(2011)
http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...ing/3-27-1.jpg
(2016)
http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/pho...rchwedding.jpg