The World’s Folk Art Church at Howard Finster’s Paradise Garden in Chattooga County has been closed for over 25 years, but will reopen to the public on June 22, 2025. Howard Finster built this five-story structure beginning in the mid-1980s on top of a small country church, which he bought with partial funding from a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Finster completed the 56-foot-tall building without detailed architectural plans by July 1987, using it as an art studio and museum for artifacts.

The World’s Folk Art Church, along with Paradise Garden, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. Finster envisioned this church as a place for visitors to experience messages through the art on the walls, making it accessible to the wider world. However, concerns over safety led to its closure in 1999, shortly before Finster’s death in 2001, after the structure faced damage from weather elements.

In 2018, the Paradise Garden Foundation received a grant to develop a preservation plan, and assessments by an architectural firm ensured the church’s stability. A successful fundraising campaign in 2023 allowed for further rehabilitation efforts, with construction starting in June 2024, led by local carpenters.

To celebrate the church’s reopening, various events will take place starting on June 22, with activities including gospel music and food. Paradise Garden remains open to visitors year-round, and details on lodging can be found on their website.