Mary E. Bell House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mary E. Bell House
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 66 Railroad Avenue, Center Moriches, New York |
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| NRHP reference No. | 100005831 |
| Added to NRHP | November 13, 2020 |
The Mary E. Bell House is a special old house in Center Moriches, Long Island, New York. It was built in 1872. This house is important because it tells the story of the Smith and Bell families, who were African-American, and their church community. It shows how they lived and worshipped in the 1800s and 1900s. In 2020, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very important historical site. Today, the Ketcham Inn Foundation helps take care of it.
Contents
The Bell House Story
Selah W. Smith, a farm worker, and his wife Mary Ann, who did laundry, lived in this house. They had five daughters: Alice, Ada, Ida, Mary E., and Hannah. In 1880, all five girls lived at home. The house was likely made bigger around 1880 to help Mary Ann with her laundry business. The family also had a garden next to their home.
The Smiths often walked a short distance to attend the AME church. This church was a very important place for the African-American community in Center Moriches. People came from nearby towns to worship there. After the pastor, Abraham Perdue, and his wife passed away in 1888, Mary E. Smith and Annie Arch helped keep the small church going.
Mary E. Bell's Role
In 1895, Mary E. Smith married Ernest Bell, who was a worker. By 1900, Mary E. and Ernest lived in the house with their children, Ethel, Alice, and Lillian.
In the late 1890s, Mary E. Bell became very involved with the AME Zion's Varick Christian Endeavor Society. This group was started by James Varick in 1896. The AME Zion church was special because it allowed women to have important roles, like being elders and deacons. In 1897, the local church officially became part of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) group.
Christian Endeavor societies were very popular in the late 1890s, much like the Y.M.C.A. today. They wanted to keep young adults, especially men, active in their churches and communities. Many of these groups were run by women. Mary E. Bell became the leader of the Varick Christian Endeavor Society in Center Moriches. This group held social events like dinners and picnics. They also did service projects, such as setting up food banks and offering help with education, like tutors and Bible classes.
Keeping the Church Alive
From the early 1900s until it closed in 1914, the small church depended a lot on Mary Bell and Annie Arch. Ministers would visit, but members were lost due to moving away or passing away. Annie would travel from her farm in Manorville to worship with her friends.
Even after the church building closed, Mary Bell continued to hold church gatherings at her house. Around 1915, her husband Ernest became sick and stayed in a special care facility until he passed away in 1950. In 1920, Mary lived in the house with her daughters Alice and Lillian, and her son Eugene.
Around this time, the church started to grow again because of the Great Migration. Many African-Americans from the South came to work on farms in Long Island. The AME Zion church sent a new minister, Rev. William E. Wright, to lead the congregation. When Mary Bell passed away, her church was renamed the Bell AME Zion Church in her honor.
Alice Bell's Legacy
Alice Bell was born in the house at 66 Railroad Avenue. She later inherited the house from her mother, Mary E. Bell. From the 1920s to the 1950s, Alice was very important to the AMEZ church in Center Moriches as it grew. She was a trustee and served on the Ladies Aid society, helping with fundraising.
When the church building became too small, musical events were held to raise money for a new one. These events often took place at Alice's house and included dinners and other programs. The original 1847 church building was later moved to a new location. By 1954, Alice was also famous for her sweet potato pies, which were a favorite at church gatherings and fundraisers.
Alice never married or drove a car. She lived a quiet life, staying active in her church. She worked as a housekeeper. In her later years, the church honored her. She became a Deaconess and joined the Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society, which was a big outreach program of the AME Zion church in the 1980s.
Saving the Bell House
Alice Bell passed away in 1996. After her death, the house faced problems with taxes and ownership. For about ten years, it became a rental property that was falling apart. In 2009, there was a risk that the house might be torn down.
The Bell AME Zion church worked hard to save it. In 2011, the Town of Brookhaven decided to make the Mary E. Bell House a historic landmark. The town then took ownership of the property. They worked with the Ketcham Inn Foundation to fix up the house. On June 22, 2019, the house officially reopened as a historic site. It is now used for public events.
Landmark Status
The Mary E. Bell House is a very important part of African-American history in the community. It served as a second home for the church when its main building was closed. With the help of Bert Seides, a person who works to save old buildings, the Ketcham Inn Foundation suggested making the house a historic landmark in 2011. The foundation worked with Brookhaven to restore the house. Now, the Ketcham Inn Foundation runs it as a special event space and museum.
The Mary E. Bell House was officially named a Brookhaven town landmark in 2011. It was then added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020, recognizing its importance to the whole country.
