Archer Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church

Open to the Public

During the 19th century, a community of African Americans established themselves in the Hayden Station area. A central hub for both religious and social activities was the Archer Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The church’s first building was constructed under the leadership of Reverend Dennis Scott White, born in 1870, with financial support from local philanthropist Frederick Thrall. The church was situated adjacent to a pine grove north of Hayden Station Road and Pond Road, where Reverend White held popular camp meetings during the 1880s and 1890s. The nearby pond served as a swimming and ice-skating spot for the town and was also used by the congregation for baptismal services. The current church building was constructed in 1982.