Poolesville in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Historic St. Paul Community Church
The Historic St. Paul Community Church is the heart of the Sugarland Forest Community established by freed slaves after emancipation. Patriarchs William Taylor, Patrick Hebron, Jr. and John H. Diggs, as trustees purchased this parcel of land from George W. Dawson, a former white slave owner, on October 1871 for the sum of $25.00. The deed specified the land be used for religious worship, a school and burial site for people of African descent.
The original church, The Sugarland Forest Methodist Episcopal, was rebuilt as a community hall in 1930. Other earlier names were Curtisville M.E. (1880) and Taylor's Chapel (1890).
This edifice, built in 1893 by W. Scott Beall, stands as a testimony and tribute to our heritage and founding families of this community, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
"Blessings and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever, Amen." Rev. 7:12
Placed by the Descendants of Sugarland Forest Community
Erected 1996 by Descendants of Sugarland Forest Community.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Churches & Religion. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1871.
Location. 39° 5.861′ N, 77° 22.979′ W. Marker is in Poolesville, Maryland, in Montgomery County. Marker is at the intersection of Sugarland Road and Sugarland Lane on Sugarland Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14730 Sugarland Rd, Poolesville MD 20837, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Planetary Radio Emissions Discovery Site (approx. 1.3 miles away); Seneca Schoolhouse (approx. 2.1 miles away); The Historic Seneca Schoolhouse (approx. 2.1 miles away); This is Algonkian! (approx. 2˝ miles away in Virginia); Seneca Mill (approx. 2.6 miles away); Seneca Store (approx. 2.6 miles away); a different marker also named Seneca Store (approx. 2.6 miles away); Seneca Mills During the Civil War (approx. 2.6 miles away).
Also see . . .
1. St. Paul's Community Church and Cemetery, 1893. Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties, (pdf) (Submitted on July 5, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.)
2. Sugarland Ethno History Project. Project website homepage (Submitted on July 4, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 25, 2022. It was originally submitted on July 4, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,297 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on July 4, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.