Historic African American Sites & Communities of Loudoun County

This community near Lovettsville was founded after emancipation and included a church, store, and residences. Families like the Curtises, Hogans, and Motens were early settlers. While the church no longer exists, preservation efforts continue for its cemetery.

Waterford had one of the largest free Black populations before the Civil War. The Quaker influence fostered abolitionism, leading to the establishment of schools and churches for freedmen.

The African American community in Hamilton dates to the post-Civil War era, with freedmen establishing homes in the area. Central to the community was the Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church and nearby schools serving African American children.

Leesburg housed a significant African American population post-emancipation. The community centered around church institutions like Mount Pleasant Baptist Church and educational institutions, including the Douglass School.

This community grew during the Reconstruction era with African American residents working on farms. Key landmarks included churches and local schools that served the Black population.

Established post-Civil War, Murphy’s Corner was a small African American farming community with local schools and churches.

Located near Leesburg, Sycolin developed into an African American farming community after the Civil War. Key landmarks included local churches and schools that served the Black population.

Originally named Farmwell, Ashburn was an agricultural community. While documentation on its African American community is sparse, key institutions included the Zion Baptist Church, built in 1880, and the Ashburn School, which opened in 1892 for Black children. The school remained operational until 1958 and was rehabilitated recently. The Monroe Chapel Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, the only such congregation in Loudoun County, also played an essential role.

Watson was a small African American community that developed after the Civil War. It centered around farming and featured churches and schools that supported the local population.

Settled by African Americans in the 19th century, Berryman was home to the Marble Quarry School and several residences. In 1922, Raymond and Mattie Berryman became the largest African American landowners in Loudoun County by purchasing a 130-acre farm. Mattie Berryman, a schoolteacher, and her husband lived on the farm until 1958. The school was later converted into the Mount Zion Baptist Church.

Established by freed slaves in the late 19th century, Willisville thrived as an agricultural community. Its institutions, including Willisville Methodist Church and local schools, were pivotal in maintaining community ties.

This town housed a significant African American population post-Civil War, with churches such as Shiloh Baptist Church playing central roles. Educational opportunities expanded with the founding of schools for Black children.

Named after the McVeigh family, Macsville developed along Route 50 from former slave quarters and outbuildings. After the Civil War, African American families settled in the area. In 1930, Clarendon C. Fisher operated a shoemaker’s shop in the hamlet, which still stands. Another landmark is Hall’s Park, owned by Black businessman W.N. Hall. During segregation, Hall provided a field for the Black community to hold horse races, baseball games, and festivals. Middleburg’s Black baseball team played on the field in the mid-20th century, making it a central part of local African American life.

This community was displaced during the construction of Dulles International Airport in the 1960s. Before its dissolution, Willard had a strong African American presence with churches, schools, and social institutions.

Following the Civil War, a small group of formerly enslaved people formed a community outside Bluemont, known as Butcher's Hollow. The community developed on land purchased by Benjamin Franklin Young, a Black landowner who acquired 17 acres in 1871. Young's land was subdivided and sold to other African Americans, leading to the creation of a thriving community. In 1888, residents established the First Baptist Church and built a schoolhouse the following year. By the mid-20th century, many residents relocated, and the church was moved. Today, only remnants of the community remain.

An early Quaker settlement, Lincoln's African American community benefited from Quaker oppostion to slavery. Freed Black residents established churches and schools in the area.

In 1880, Revernd Charles Hadley and one dozen African American residents in the Lucketts vicinity organized the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. Local builder, Jewel Frye, built the church on land donated by Martha Ambers Thomas. An addition to the church was constructed in 1915 during the longtime pastorate of Reverend R. L. Nickens.