Loudoun County African-American Historic Architectural Resources Survey
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Loudoun County African-American Historic Architectural Resources Survey Lincoln "Colored" School, 1938. From the Library of Virginia: School Building Services Photograph Collection. Prepared by: History Matters, LLC Washington, DC September 2004 Sponsored by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors & The Black History Committee of the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library Leesburg, VA Loudoun County African-American Historic Architectural Resources Survey Prepared by: Kathryn Gettings Smith Edna Johnston Megan Glynn History Matters, LLC Washington, DC September 2004 Sponsored by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors & The Black History Committee of the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library Leesburg, VA Loudoun County Department of Planning 1 Harrison Street, S.E., 3rd Floor Leesburg, VA 20175 703-777-0246 Table of Contents I. Abstract 4 II. Acknowledgements 5 III. List of Figures 6 IV. Project Description and Research Design 8 V. Historic Context A. Historic Overview 10 B. Discussion of Surveyed Resources 19 VI. Survey Findings 56 VII. Recommendations 58 VIII. Bibliography 62 IX. Appendices A. Indices of Surveyed Resources 72 B. Brief Histories of Surveyed Towns, Villages, Hamlets, 108 & Neighborhoods C. African-American Cemeteries in Loudoun County 126 D. Explanations of Historic Themes 127 E. Possible Sites For Future Survey 130 F. Previously Documented Resources with Significance to 136 Loudoun County’s African-American History 1 Figure 1: Map of Loudoun County, Virginia with principal roads, towns, and waterways. Map courtesy of the Loudoun County Office of Mapping. 2 Figure 2. Historically African-American Communities of Loudoun County, Virginia. Prepared by Loudoun County Office of Mapping, May 15, 2001 (Map #2001-015) from data collected by the Black History Committee of the Friends of Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, Va. 3 I. Abstract History Matters surveyed 210 properties that relate to the history of African Americans in Loudoun County, Virginia. Of the surveyed properties, 200 were surveyed at the reconnaissance level (exterior documentation) and ten were intensively documented (exterior and interior). The documented resources date from the late 18th through the mid-20th centuries. Approximately 90 percent of the surveyed properties are located within the 30 historically African- American towns, villages, hamlets or neighborhoods that the project’s cosponsor, the Black History Committee of the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library, identified during their African American Community mapping project in 2001. Initial research suggests that most of the identified communities were founded by African Americans in the three decades that followed the end of the American Civil War. Many of the villages were established by former slaves who purchased land from white landowners. Documented building types include single- and multi-family dwellings, schools, commercial buildings, religious buildings, and cemeteries. By far, the most common building type was the single-family dwelling. While stylistic trends were generally muted, some common forms and building techniques were discernable. Loudoun’s African-American communities were characterized by clusters of modest residences that were often accompanied by churches or schools and, less frequently, by general stores. Three types of African-American communities were documented: independent communities (Willisville, St. Louis, Bowmantown, Hillsboro/Short Hill); segregated neighborhoods or enclaves within larger, mixed-race towns (Purcellville, Hamilton, and Round Hill); and small, mixed-race rural communities (Sycolin and Watson). 4 II. Acknowledgements History Matters thanks the following individuals & organizations for their kind assistance: Meredyth Breed, Claude Moore Park Josephine Brown Alice H. Calhoun James M. and Elizabeth Campanella Charles P. Clark Harrison Cook, Virginia Department of Historic Resources Phyllis Cook-Taylor Peter Daley Dean T. and Paula Drewyer Fred Drummond David Edwards, Virginia Department of Historic Resources Peggy Fallon Pastor Robert Grayson Marty Hiatt Arlean Hill Quatro Hubbard, Virginia Department of Historic Resources Eric Larson, Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum Deborah A. Lee Tina L. Leight Phil Lo Presti, Jr. Staff of Loudoun County Office of Mapping & Geographic Information Staff of Loudoun County Department of Planning La Vonne Markham Maura McKenney Kathryn Miller Betty Morefield Lorraine Moten Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Bowmantown, VA Elizabeth Nokes Denise Oliver Velez Trent Park, Virginia Department of Historic Resources Tom Pratt Mary E. Randolph Paul E. Rose, Waterford Union Cemetery Trustees Wynne C. Saffer Pauline Singletary Bronwen Souders Belinda Thomas Staff of Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg Elaine E. Thompson Waterford Foundation, Inc. Mark Wagner, Virginia Department of Historic Resources Lou Etta Watkins Susan Webber Francine Williams 5 III. List of Figures Figure Page 1 Map of Loudoun County, Virginia with principal roads, towns, and waterways. 4 2 Historically African-American Communities of Loudoun County, Virginia. 5 3 John Henry’s 1770 Map of Virginia. 12 4 Portion of Bishop James Madison’s 1807 map of Virginia. 14 5 Preliminary map of northern Virginia. Circa 1860. 16 6 Emancipation Day Notice, 1933. 18 7 Douglas High School, Leesburg. 19 8 House, 46531 Harry Byrd Highway, Nokesville. (DHR #053-5224). 21 9 Napper Log House, Stewartown. (DHR #053-1024). 22 10 Joseph and Sarah Brown House, Brown’s Corner. (DHR #503-35-4209). 23 11 Walsh Farm Slave Quarter, Paxson/Berkley. (DHR #053-5139). 25 12 Gracie Reid House, Howardsville. (DHR #053-0062-0005). 27 13 Store, 35285 Snake Hill Road, St. Louis. (DHR #053-5099-0009). 29 14 House, 23965 Bowmantown Road, Bowmantown. (DHR #053-0605-0004). 30 15 Brown Family House, Macsville. (DHR #053-5151). 31 16 House, 20058 Sycolin Road, Sycolin. (DHR #053-5215). 32 17 Jim Henderson House, Round Hill. (DHR #291-5001). 33 18 House, 330 G Street, Purcellville. (DHR #286-5001-0231). 34 19 House, 24060 New Mountain Road, Bowmantown. (DHR #053-0605-0007). 35 20 House, 34090 Snickersville Turnpike, Murphy’s Corner. (DHR #053-5141-0003). 36 21 House, 23381 Sam Fred Road, Macsville. (DHR #053-5150). 37 22 Lincoln ―Colored‖ School, Lincoln. (DHR #053-0845). 38 23 Hillsboro ―Colored‖ School (former), Short Hill. (DHR #053-5206). 39 24 Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Lucketts vicinity. (DHR #053-0322). 41 25 Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Bowmantown. (DHR #053-8316). 42 26 Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, Lincoln. (DHR #053-0205). 43 27 Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, Hillsboro vicinity. (DHR #053-0909). 44 28 Nokes House, Nokesville. Façade or south elevation (DHR #053-5223). 46 29 Fisher House and Workshop, Macsville. (DHR #053-5152). 47 30 House, 33960 Welbourne Road, Willisville. (DHR #053-5116-0013). 48 31 House, 33978 Welbourne Road, Willisville. (DHR #053-5116-0011). 49 32 Irene H. Trammell House, St. Louis. (DHR #053-5099-0002). 50 6 Figure Page 33 Willing Workers Hall/Purcellville ―Colored‖ School, Purcellville. (DHR #286-5003). 51 34 Middleburg Baseball Team ―Bush League‖ at Hall’s Park. (DHR #053-5155) 51 35 Willisville Chapel, Willisville. (DHR #053-1043). 52 36 House, 34007 Welbourne Road, Willisville. (DHR #053-5116-0007). 53 37 Banneker School, St. Louis. (DHR #053-0605-0004). 54 38 Grace Annex Methodist Episcopal Church, Purcellville. (DHR #286-5001-0230). 55 7 IV. Project Description and Research Design In 2002 and 2003, under contract to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, History Matters surveyed 210 historic resources that relate to the history of African Americans in Loudoun County, Virginia. Of the surveyed properties, 200 were surveyed at the reconnaissance level (exterior documentation) and ten were intensively documented (exterior and interior). The documented resources date from the late 18th through the mid-20th centuries. History Matters’ research team was comprised of the following individuals: William Critzman, Patsy Fletcher, Megan Glynn, Kendra Hamilton, Edna Johnston, Jean McRae, and Kathryn Gettings Smith. Edna Johnston is the Principal of History Matters and directed the project with Kathryn Gettings Smith, History Matters’ Senior Architectural Historian. Ms. Smith led the team’s survey and research efforts. Throughout the project, History Matters worked closely with the Loudoun County Department of Planning and with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR). Before physical survey began, History Matters reviewed existing research materials and survey data at DHR headquarters in Richmond, Virginia and at Loudoun County. We also collected relevant research materials from libraries in Loudoun County and Washington, DC and consulted resources at the Library of Virginia and the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond, Virginia, and at Alderman Library at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Primary sources consulted included historic maps, census information, Loudoun County property records, and antebellum registration records of Loudoun County’s free persons of color. In addition, History Matters utilized relevant information from surveys that had been conducted in the 1970s and 1980s by DHR and by its predecessor, the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission. At the instruction of the Department of Planning, History Matters first surveyed those sites that the County identified as most threatened. In addition, History Matters responded to several urgent requests by Loudoun County staff to survey sites that were deemed to be in immediate