Site preparation has begun in Hall County for the new permanent home of The Archives of The Episcopal Church, establishing a major historical hub within the Diocese of Atlanta.

The archives will occupy a 3.5-acre property in Oakwood that was home to St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church before it closed in October 2023. Construction should finish by spring 2027, and the facility will house the oldest denominational archives in the United States.

The Past: Legacy of Outreach and Welcome

For 25 years, St. Gabriel’s served as the only Episcopal presence in the southern part of Hall County. Declining membership and church divisions forced the parish to close. At the final service, Bishop Rob Wright challenged the members to take their experience of a “warm, welcoming, local, and international” church and build it in new places.

Bishop Wright told the 2023 Annual Council that the impact of St. Gabriel’s would continue.

“The word of God was preached there. People cared for one another there. People danced in that place. They cried in that place. They challenged each other in that place. There were innumerable deviled eggs served in that place,” he said.

“So let me just say to you, these are never happy occasions when a congregations ministry ends in a particular place. Listen. But we do take comfort and solace in the fact that the people who experience the risen Christ there in the fellowship and in the breaking of bread now have been distributed. So, they have not ended. The word of God went mobile at that final service.”

The Archives will keep the property part of the unfolding story of The Episcopal Church. History is vital to Episcopalians, who place a high value on tradition, storytelling, and ancient rituals.

The Present: Site Transformation and Diocesan Leadership

The Episcopal Church selected the Oakwood location following a directive from the 81st General Convention to secure a permanent home by July 2025. While commercial buyers expressed interest in the real estate, the Diocese chose to transfer the property to The Episcopal Church to keep the land in ministry.

Wright credited the bishop’s staff for managing the coordination required to secure the site.

“We are excited in the Diocese of Atlanta to become the home of our Church’s archives,” he said. “This good news could not have happened without the wisdom and vision of The Rev. Lang Lowrey and Canon Alicia Schuster-Weltner. Their efforts helped navigate the strategic planning and letters of intent with denominational leadership. Their work ensured the site met specific space requirements and allowed for future structural additions.”

The location near colleges offers opportunities for student workforce partnerships. The University of North Georgia has a branch in Oakwood, which is also home to Lanier Technical College.

The Future: A Centralized Historical Repository

The $4.5 million construction project will come from The Episcopal Church cash flow and reserves. Design plans by Houser Walker Architects show a renovation of the existing structures to include offices, a public reading room, and a new shelving building, all connected by a cloister walkway.

The move addresses a major need for centralized storage. The institutional collections—which include historical documents, canonical records, and rare artifacts—have been split across multiple locations or kept in temporary leased space in Austin since 2021. The permanent, church-owned repository in Oakwood will expand storage space by 75 percent and will be designed for long-term environmental preservation.