Little Forest Baptist Church, Stafford, VA

When I did a google search for Little Forest Baptist Church I saw that they had selected sermons on YouTube
What a great idea!

It is rare that I have the opportunity to enter into a church. That is simply the unfortunate reality of these recordings. Usually churches are closed when I pull up and start taking photos. I arrive unannounced because I happen to be driving through an area and I have taken the opportunity to briefly see some sites.

So it was very cool to see the living church, albeit on video. I wish more churches would upload snippets of their services.

-Did not see a burial ground, but sensed there was one nearby...

Shiloh Baptist Church (New Site), Stafford, VA

East side of Route 1.

Living Water AME Church, Stafford, VA

Sits on East side of Route 1. No sign of a burial ground.

Union Church & Cemetery, Falmouth, VA

Or more to the point, what Remains of the Union Church...

Hobby School, Falmouth, VA

A Falmouth Church, Falmouth, VA

On my way to Fredericksburg, Va last week, I noticed that one of my favorite Route 1 structures had taken a bit of a hit. Hopefully, it is a preservation effort that is underway.

Site from a few years ago:
http://historicwanderings.blogspot.com/2009/07/falmouth-church.html

Golgotha Church, Falmouth, VA

I'm curious as to why a church would be named "Golgatha." If anyone can shed some light on this, I'd be appreciative.

Also, I'm unsure if this is an African American congregation.









Maddy McCoy
Fairfax County, Virginia
Slavery Inventory Database

Historic Outbuilding, Belmont, Fredericksburg, VA

BELMONT - The Gari Melchers Estate & Memorial Gallery

This historic structure is located to the NE of the Belmont mansion house.

During my visit, a Belmont guide told me that this structure had at one time been occupied by an elderly African American woman who had worked for the Melchers.

My questions are:

1. Who was the elderly African American woman?
2. Where was she from?
3. Had she ever been enslaved? (or was she the descendant of a slave?)
4. What were her (or her family's) ties to Belmont and the surrounding community, if any?
5. This was a tenant house, but was it previously a slave quarter?
6. Were there more like this at that location or was this the only one? (My quarters to community theory.)
7. What is Belmont going to do with it?

This may be a fantastic opportunity to interpret historic African American lifeways.
























Looking SW, one can almost see the Belmont mansion house from the structure:


Maddy McCoy
Fairfax County, Virginia
Slavery Inventory Database