tional lines with a touch of Gothic influence ; the sanctuary has a vaulted ceiling and wainscoting . Bell also built nearby Sugarland Forest Church in 1893 and Loving Charity Hall here in 1914 .
The local lodge of Loving Charity Society , an organization that offered insurance benefits in segregated times , erected this community building to be used for plays , dances , lectures , and events . Playing here regularly was the Dickerson Cornet Band , formed in 1909 by men who taught music as well as performed “ in concert and in harmony .” Lodge members paid dues of 25 cents per month . They received benefits of $ 3 per week during illness and $ 100 to beneficiaries at the death of a member .
Unlike nearby Sugarland , the houses here were built somewhat farther apart , but in both communities they were surrounded by garden patches , orchards , and livestock pens . The town of Martinsburg , spread out along both sides of the road and supported two stores , a blacksmith shop , a post office , and over 30 homes .
Community life centered around family , church , and work . By design , residents were largely self-sufficient relying on the land and each other . Almost every homestead was planted with corn , potatoes , beans , tomatoes , okra , cabbage , berries , and fruit trees . At harvest , the women and children gathered to can , dry , or pickle produce to carry them through the winter . In the late fall , men and boys from neighboring communities gathered together to butcher hogs for meat .
As time went by Martinsburg , like many African American settle-
The Warren Loving Charity Hall was restored in 2017 .
plenty I autumn harvest 2022 33