honoring our heritage
A History Worth Saving
By Sarah rogers
Just northwest of Poolesville , along White ’ s Ferry Road , stands the last remnant of the once-thriving African American town of Martinsburg . The three remaining buildings — church , school , and benefits hall were the center of the community . They constitute more than just a pastoral country scene ; they stand as testament to the tenacity and faith of local Black families .
On the eve of the Civil War , Montgomery County was home to approximately 5400 enslaved and 1500 free Blacks , nearly one third of the county population . In Maryland , a border state between North and South , slavery continued until after the Civil War . While a number of free Black communities were built in the early 1800s , the time immediately following Emancipation in 1864 saw the greatest increase in community building . By the early 1900s , over 40 selfsufficient rural African American settlements had been founded in the county .
In 1866 , free Black Nathan Naylor purchased 97 acres along White ’ s Ferry and Martinsburg
the three anchors of the historic community — church , school , and benefit society hall .
The Warren Church was the first built , about 1866 , facing Martinsburg Road . To the northeast , the congregation established a small cemetery . A decade later , oxen pulled the church on skids and logs to its present site on White ’ s Ferry Road .
The historic Warren church and school are ready for restoration ; work on the buildings will begin this fall . Left : Montgomery County , MD map , 1878 . Courtesy : Library of Congress .
Roads and other newly freed families followed soon after . By 1879 , the population reached 75 . The early crossroads settlement was racially integrated , uncommon in rural Maryland . Today , Martinsburg is a rare example of African American settlement in that it retains
The one-room Martinsburg Negro School was built in 1886 for 40 to 50 students in grades one to seven . The school closed in 1939 ; it was not until 1958 that county schools were desegregated .
In 1903 , the congregation hired W . Scott Bell to build a larger church at a cost of $ 150 . This handsome building features tradi-
32 plenty I autumn harvest 2022