The Gift of Land

The land that is now called Simpsonwood is land on which "Miss Ludie" Simpson's family farm was located. Ludie Simpson taught in the Atlanta and the Gwinnett County school systems until the age of 70 and returned to Norcross after her retirement from the Atlanta Public Schools to live.

She decided in 1971, at the age of 84, to give the land to the Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian Church could not agree to the condition that the land always be kept in tact and Miss Simpson approached the United Methodist Church with her offer.

The offer was accepted on her terms and the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church first opened the doors of Simpsonwood on June 19, 1985.

Her vision was on to keep the land so that all people could enjoy God's beautiful creation. Miss Simpson died April 29, 1975 without seeing Simpsonwood developed. She is buried with her mother in the Mount Carmel United Methodist Church cemetery in Norcross, Georgia.

The Chapel

A beautiful chapel that can seat 100, the North Georgia Conference had conversed with Miss Simpson to build an English style field chapel near her family's home-site that is named in memory of her mother, Elizabeth Jane Sanders Simpson.

The Christ Doors

The beautiful hand carved Christ doors were installed at the entrance of the Rollins Center in 1987 and were a gift presented by Lucille and Arnold Hughey.