Macedonia Baptist Church (Burlington, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Macedonia Church
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Front of the church
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Burlington, Ohio |
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| Area | 0.8 acres (0.32 ha) |
| Built | 1849 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002096 |
| Added to NRHP | February 7, 1978 |
The Macedonia Baptist Church is a very old church building near Burlington, in Ohio. It was built a long time ago, in the mid-1800s. This church was very important for the local Black community. Today, it is known as a historic site because of its special history.
Contents
A Special Church in Ohio
How the Church Began
The area around Burlington, Ohio, was a very important place before the American Civil War. Many people who had escaped slavery, and also free Black people, came to live here. A group of Baptist church members started a church in this area around 1811 to 1813.
At first, they met in their homes. Later, they built a small, simple church building. A big change happened in 1849. A man named James Twyman from Virginia set many of his enslaved people free when he died. He also made sure they received land near Burlington.
Building a Community
Thirty-two of these newly freed people settled near the church. They officially owned their land by the end of October 1849. They joined the existing Baptist church members. Together, they helped build a new church building on a place called Macedonia Ridge.
This new location gave the church its name: "Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church." With so many new Black families joining, the church became a very important place. It was a center for both religious life and community activities for local Black people.
Over the years, the church helped start many other churches. Eight of these "daughter churches" were still active in Ohio and what is now West Virginia even in the late 1900s.
What the Church Looks Like
The Macedonia Baptist Church is a simple building. It was built in a common style without fancy designs. It has a plain front with a pointed roof, like many houses. There are three windows on the sides of the church.
You enter the church through double doors at the bottom of a small bell tower. This tower is built into the front of the church. The outside walls are covered with simple wooden boards. The building sits on a stone base and has a tin roof. The main part of the roof is steep, while the tower has a pyramid-shaped roof.
A Historic Landmark
In 1978, the Macedonia Baptist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historical site. It was chosen because of its unique architecture and its big role in local history.
The church is one of four historic places in the Burlington area listed on the Register. The others are the old county jail, the local Black cemetery, and the William C. Johnston House and General Store. There are nineteen such places in Lawrence County. In 2003, the Ohio Historical Society put a special marker at the church to tell its story.
