Quinnimont Missionary Baptist Church
African American Heritage Tour
| | New River Gorge National River, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
In 1870 the Quinnimont Charter Oak and Iron Company built an iron furnace on Laurel Creek, which operated for three years. The main line of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was completed through the gorge in the spring of 1873, and by fall the first shipment of coal was transported out of Quinnimont, making it the first mining town of New River Gorge. The town boasted a general store, post office, baseball field, hotel, jail, and railroad boarding houses. There were separate churches and schools that served the black and white communities. Housing of residents was strategically segregated between racial and ethnic groups: black from white, Welsh and English from Irish, and Italian from Polish.
As a direct result of the increasing numbers of African Americans in the New River Gorge, the New River Baptist Association was formed in 1884. A huge component of the black community was organizing a church. Members were enthusiastic about attending Sunday services and other events. Black churches, like Quinnimont Missionary Baptist Church, served the spiritual needs of individuals within the community through regular Sunday meetings, by providing care and comfort for those in need, and by supporting the significant cultural milestones of their members such as births, baptisms, marriages, and funerals.
Quinnimont Missionary Baptist Church, established in 1880, was one of the first African American churches in the New River Gorge.
Members of the Quinnimont Missionary Baptist Church
pose for a photo.
Erected by National
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 37° 51.367′ N, 81° 2.767′ W. Marker is in Quinnimont, West Virginia, in Fayette County. It is on Stanford Road (West Virginia Route 41) 0.2 miles north of County Road 41/27, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5983 Stanaford Rd, Prince WV 25907, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the New River Gorge and in Greater Charleston Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Beury Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fire and Friends
Credits. This page was last revised on January 23, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 21, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 405 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 21, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
