" St. John In The Wilderness" Flat Rock, NC

In 1807, the" Great Flat Rock" was named Flat Rock by the inhabitants
of the village growing up around it..............



In 1829, it changed forever. Charles Baring of The Baring Brother Banking family from England found in Flat Rock an ideal place for his British born wife, Susan, to escape the humid summers of Charleston, SC. Baring purchased 400 acres of land in Flat Rock on which he built a summer home and named it Mountain Lodge. He continued to buy land until he had acquired over three thousand acres of which he sold to other Charleston friends to build their own summer houses.Flat Rock then became known as; " The Little Charleston of the Mountains".



After the completion of their home " Mountain Lodge", Charles and Susan built a
private worship chapel on the grounds.It was a small wooden structure that later burned. In 1833, the new brick building was built by local brick makers. In 1836
20 members of this summer colony formed their own parish and the Barings deeded the church to the new Episcopal Bishop. It was from that time known as "St. John In The Wilderness " after John The Baptist.

DaVinci's St. John In The Wilderness

On Friday morning my friend, author Sherry Austin,joined me for breakfast at Flat Rock Inn B & B. She then graciously offered to take me on a tour of historic Flat Rock! Our first stop was this wonderful church.





" St. John In The Wilderness Episcopal Church "

As you walk up to it, you are just mesmerized...............

Sherry and I were stumped by this flower growing outside

the church door, anyone know what it is?

The cemetery is in tiers which makes it all the more lovely!

I got to experience a second Spring as Flat Rock is now in full bloom!

The graves to the right are one tier higher...............

These two sets are also one tier above the other...............

I cannot tell you what a peaceful place this is just to view.......

A Banner inside the door................

I found this image of the windows on the net and included it.

In 1852, the church was expanded due to growth of the congregation.

In order to expand, some graves were covered over by the expansion.

Two of those graves were Charles and Susan Baring.

Headstone plaques are mounted on the wall above their graves.......

A view of the sanctuary.......................Pulitzer Poet Carl Sanburg's funeral was held here however he is not buried here. Louise Howe Bailey is a member here.

This stone however remains as a part of the isle floor.......

Andrew Burnet Rhett also is under the chapel.......

Outside we find the African- American graves, covered in

English Ivy. Stone crosses mark the graves...................

Some are totally covered by the ivy.

A simple stone marks the entrance...............

On a historical note: Before Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation,

both the white slave owners and the slaves worshiped side by side

in the pews of this church. The first wedding in this church was between

two of the Baring's slaves.......................

The pipe organ..........................

Sherry also took me to see the Boyd House once known as

The Saluda Cottages...............

In 1830, Count Marie Joseph de Choiseul, the consul to France,

built Saluda Cottages. The family lived there until 1841....

This is the front where you can drive through the portico...It is for sale

at somewhere around $ 2 million..................

At the turn of the century, the Norton Sisters of Kentucky had additions

and gardens added by Fredrick Law Olmstead......................

St. Francis caught my eye..........

The porches and gardens are just magnificent !!!!

If only I had 2 mill..........................

Be still my heart....this is the back of the house!

However climbing these stairs does not entice me.....

Sherry was a wonderful tour guide and I'll show you more later...................