HELP SAVE THE WARREN HISTORIC SITE
Join us now in preserving this iconic group of buildings that for over a century have been the heart of the historic African American community of Martinsburg .
Your donation is needed now !
Please donate now at : WarrenHistoricSite . org Thank you for your support !
Among the programs offered at the church is the annual Gospel Extravaganza , last held in 2018 before repairs became urgent .
ments , suffered physical decline of its buildings due to outdated infrastructure and public policies which limited access to public water , modern waste management , and roads . Discriminative codes often made simply upgrading a home impossible . Thus , the young people of most historic Black communities moved away to better jobs and more modern homes . By the early 1980s , most of these communities had very few residents and nature took back the buildings . In a way , these places were victims of their own success in providing the building blocks on which generations could better their lives in the larger world .
The Warren Church merged with nearby Mt . Zion Church in 1994 . Seven years later , former parishioners , students , residents , and friends joined to purchase this extraordinary piece of Montgomery County history .
Today , this iconic piece of local history is being restored for use as a center for African American history programming and gathering place for descendant families and visitors . The first phase of restoration was the reconstruction of the exterior of the Loving Charity Hall . Phase two will begin this fall with the replacement of the church and schoolhouse roofs and stabilization of the foundations . Phase three will begin in 2023 with the completion of the interior of the hall .
Much of this work has been funded by grants from Heritage Montgomery , the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority , the African American Heritage Preservation Council , and donations but we still need help to fund these projects . To find out how you can help please contact Director @ Heritage- Montgomery . org .
Sarah Rogers , Executive Director of Heritage Montgomery , is an interpretive planner , designer , and executive in the areas of resource protection and development . She provides leadership in the areas of education , outreach , and stewardship to natural , cultural , and historical sites , parks , and museums at a federal , state , and local level .
34 plenty I autumn harvest 2022