St. John's Church (Ruxton, Maryland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. John's Church
|
|
North side
|
|
 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 7538 Bellona Ave., Ruxton, Maryland |
|---|---|
| Area | 0.8 acres (0.32 ha) |
| Built | 1886 |
| Built by | Horn, George |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002807 |
| Added to NRHP | March 15, 1982 |
St. John's Church is a historic A.U.M.P. church located in Ruxton, Baltimore County, Maryland. It is a special old building that played a big part in the history of the local African-American community. This church is so important that it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
The Church's Early History
The story of St. John's Church began in the 1820s. A free African-American man named J. Aquila Scott moved to the Bare Hills area. In 1833, he became one of five leaders for a small church group. This group was called the Bethel Episcopal Methodist Religious Society.
- A deed, or legal paper, was signed by Mary and Elijah Fishpaw.
- This deed gave the church group three-quarters of an acre of land.
- The land was meant for building a cemetery and a Methodist church.
- Before this, the local African-American church members met at J. Aquila Scott's home.
- They soon built a small log cabin church and a parsonage (a house for the minister) on the new land.
Building the Current Church
The first log cabin church sadly burned down in 1876. But the community did not give up. A new church building was completed in 1886. This new church was built by Rev. Edward W. Scott. He was the son of J. Aquila Scott, who helped start the first church.
Church Design and Importance
The current church building has a special style. It is a frame structure with a pointed roof, known as a gable roof. It uses a style called Carpenter Gothic.
- The outside walls are made of "board-and-batten" siding. This means long, flat boards are joined with thin strips of wood called battens.
- The windows are tall and narrow, called "lancet windows," and have decorative designs.
- The church is very important because it is a great example of how African-American churches were built in the late 1800s.
- For many years, St. John's Church was the heart of spiritual life for African-American people in the area. This included those from Bare Hills and servants working in Ruxton homes.
Saving the Church Building
In the 1960s, fewer people attended the church. The building was closed and almost forgotten. But in 1980, a Ruxton resident named Gail B. O'Donovan found the chapel. She was doing research for a local issue.
- Gail O'Donovan brought the community together to help.
- They raised $108,000 to fix up the church.
- They also restored a small stone house on the property. This house was built around 1835 and was used as the parsonage. It had been damaged by fire.
- There is also a simple social hall on the property. It was built in 1886 by Rev. Edward W. Scott.
- Behind the church, there is a large burial ground.
The church was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 15, 1982. Its special reference number is 82002807.
Images for kids
-
-
South side
-
East side
-
