Asbury United Methodist Church (Washington, D.C.)
Asbury United Methodist Church, founded in 1836 as Asbury Chapel, is the oldest black United Methodist church in Washington, D.C.
Asbury United Methodist Church | |
| Location | Eleventh and K Sts. NW Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°54′8″N 77°1′39″W / 38.90222°N 77.02750°W |
| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Architect | Harding, Clarence Lowell |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, English Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003029[1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 01, 1986 |
| Designated DCIHS | March 21, 1984 |
Located on the corner of 11th and K Streets Northwest, it was placed on the District of Columbia Register of Historic Places on November 1, 1986.[2] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. In 2003, the National Park Service approved the listing of Asbury on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.[3]
History edit
Founded in 1836, the church was a pioneer of African-American Methodism in Washington, D.C., and of social history through abolition, Emancipation, Reconstruction, and the Civil Rights movement. It is the city's oldest African-American church to remain on its original site.[2] A new building on the same site was completed in 1870.[4] The current building was designed by Clarence Lowell Handing and built in 1915–1916 in the English Gothic Revival architectural style.[5]
In the 1920s, the building had alterations by African American architect, William Wilson Cooke.[6][7]
In December 2020, the congregation's Black Lives Matter banner was burned during an event for President Donald Trump, an action the congregation's senior pastor described as "reminiscent of cross burnings".[8] In January 2021, Enrique Tarrio, chairman of the Proud Boys, was arrested in relation to the incident.[9]
On July 15, 2021, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced Asbury United Church as one of 40 sites and organizations to receive $3 million in grants from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.[10] The grant is to be used for repairs to the church’s wood windows and bell tower masonry, as well as repointing and cleaning of its stone facade.
References edit
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ a b "District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites". September 30, 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ "Explore Network to Freedom Listings". National Park Service Underground Railroad. March 31, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ "archives.nypl.org – Asbury United Methodist Church (Washington, D.C.) records". archives.nypl.org. Retrieved Dec 13, 2020.
- ^ https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/86003029_text
- ^ "The son of a former slave became a groundbreaking architect. This crumbling building is about to come down". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
- ^ Wilson, Derek Spurlock, ed. (2004). "William Wilson Cooke, Building List". African American Architects, 1865–1945. New York: Routledge. pp. 152–154. ISBN 978-1-1359-5629-5.
- ^ "Black Lives Matter signs burned at historic D.C. churches; authorities investigating as possible hate crimes". NBC News. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
- ^ Stelloh, Tim (January 4, 2021). "Proud Boys leader arrested, accused of destroying D.C. church's Black Lives Matter sign". NBC News.
- ^ Holland-Moore, Lawana (July 15, 2021). "National Trust Awards $3 Million in Grants to 40 Sites to Help Preserve Black History". National Trust for Historic Preservation. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
External links edit
- Official website