A Historic Church in Woodstock and a Historic Barn in New Market

Recently an official state historical marker went up to tell the story of Mt. Zion Methodist Church in Woodstock, Virginia.

"Inspired by visits from traveling preachers, African Americans organized what would become Mt. Zion United Methodist Church ca. 1867. The congregation acquired the framework of a former German Reformed Church in 1869, moved it to this site, and used it to construct a sanctuary. In a town segregated by race, this church was the center of the African American neighborhood and hosted religious, educational, political and social events. After black residents campaigned for a school building, Woodstock's first African American public school was built on the church lot in 1882. The congregation constructed a new sanctuary here in 1921 under the leadership of Rev. W. H. Polk."

InSpired Sunday 

and The Barn Collective.

Let's travel a little way south to New Market to give two views of a barn. This was reconstructed in 1942 on the original foundation of the historic Bushong barn, which survived the Battle of New Market in 1864, but was struck by lightning in 1939.