Near Princess Anne in Somerset County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Mt. Zion Memorial Church
African-American History on the Shore
Serving the African-American community along Polks Road
Mt. Zion Memorial Church, built by Reverend H.T. Rich, 1887, remodeled by Reverend R.C. Hughes, 1916, ceased to function as a church in 2002 and became a community center for the residents of Polks Road, Mt. Vernon, Venton, Oriole and the greater Princess Anne area. Since 2002, it has hosted family reunions, funerals, weddings and other events. Due to its age and longevity, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Maryland Register of Historic Sites.
[Caption:]
The church was likely built using mail-order architectural plans created by architect Benjamin D. Price.
Erected by Beach to Bay Heritage Area, Maryland Heritage Area Authority; Rural Maryland Council.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.
Location. 38° 15.639′ N, 75° 44.611′ W. Marker is near Princess Anne, Maryland, in Somerset County. It is on Polks Road 0.3 miles east of Larry Lankford Road, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 29071 Polks Rd, Princess Anne MD 21853, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic, on the Delmarva Peninsula, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers.
this page online
Another marker is no longer nearby. University of Maryland Eastern Shore (was approx. 4.4 miles away but has been permanently removed).
Also see . . . Mount Zion Memorial Church. Wikipedia entry:
Links to National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (Submitted on October 13, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 12, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 83 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 12, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
