Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church, located on Jones Street in Sledge, Mississippi, is a historic African American church in Quitman County, with roots likely in the early 20th century, though exact founding records are sparse. Serving the rural Delta community, it was a spiritual and social hub for local families, reflecting the region’s deep Baptist heritage. The church, associated with the nearby Holly Grove M.B. Church Cemetery (documented with 18-19 burial records from 1940 to 2011), supported worship and fellowship, as noted in MapQuest’s description of its community role. By 2013, the church was reported as possibly abandoned, with visible signs of decay, marking the decline of Sledge’s once-vibrant rural institutions amid population loss in the Delta.Exploring the Ruins of Holly Grove M.B. Church

 

On my recent return to Holly Grove M.B. Church in Sledge, I found the site reduced to a crumpled heap, a stark contrast to its past as a community cornerstone. The structure, captured in my latest photos, has collapsed entirely, with debris scattered across the grounds. I searched for the piano I recalled in the church’s rear from a visit years ago, but it, too, seems lost to the decay. Earlier photos from eight years prior showed a dilapidated but standing building, hinting at its former vitality. The church’s ruin, set against Sledge’s quiet landscape, underscores the fragility of Delta history.