Spring into local history as tours resume of the 175-year-old church building and grounds of the Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness in Flat Rock. 

Church docents lead the guided tours of the church and churchyard. 

Held on the third Saturdays of the month through December, tours start inside the Church at 11 a.m. and last about an hour. Additional tours are offered on the first Saturday of the month from June through September. There are no rain dates and participants are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes.

Tours are free but advance reservations must be made online through the church's website,

“We are so fortunate to be able to share the story of this beautiful holy place with visitors. Our history has its roots in both the mountain community of Flat Rock and in coastal South Carolina, the home of our founders and early congregants,” said lead docent Polly Morrice. 

The historically significant churchyard contains graves of notable historic figures and local citizens as well as those of unnamed 19th-century enslaved persons. 

After the tour ends, participants may choose to explore the recently opened Trails of St. John, located behind the Parish Hall complex, directly across Rutledge Drive from the church.

“Our aim as docents is to convey what has shaped us, both the painful and the good, ranging from Civil War bushwhackers to Carl Sandburg’s memorial service,” Morrice reflected. “We do stress that St. John is not a museum, but a vibrant, welcoming church. We welcome all who would like to make more history with us.”

The church is located at 1895 Greenville Highway. For more information call the church office at 828-693-9783 or visit www.stjohnflatrock.org.