Bush River Baptist Church is the mother church of the First Baptist, Cross Roads, Fairview, and other churches. Currently it has over 200 members, an educational annex and a cemetery. It is the second oldest Baptist church in Newberry County being organized in 1771. The church is located north or west of the county line from Higgins Ferry on the Saluda to Ashford Ferry on the Broad. This area was settled by the English and the Scotch-Irish.