Memorial Day, the day Americans set aside to remember those who fell in the service of the nation, is a day filled with parades, speeches and moving remembrances of the loved and lost.
As work on the Jonathan Street cabin progresses and the once-stripped structure gradually forms into a cozy abode, it seems appropriate to reflect on those who once called 417 home. While not everyone left their marks on the dwelling like H. May, each resident’s time in the cabin is noteworthy.
Historic structures require significant repair and upkeep – but with routine maintenance the time and expense associated with those repairs can be substantially reduced. Equally important as maintaining the structure is making sure that those repairs are safe for historic buildings. Often, preservation-safe repairs cost the same or slightly more but can save property owners in the long-run. These preservation best practices are not a comprehensive or complete guide to every issue a property owner will confront but are a jumping off point for your next preservation project.
Preservation Maryland at Malone's Church, 2017.
Using measurements gathered during a November workday, Preservation Maryland recently completed measured architectural drawings of the historic Malone’s Church deep in Dorchester County. The church is part of a touchstone in the African American community and a final resting place of many of those related to Harriet Tubman.
Preservation Maryland staff, and architectural intern, Ty Skeiky, measured and documented all of the major aspects of Malone’s Church that was built in the 1890s. Through this fine grain exploration, we discovered the remnants of an historic addition and outdoor shed along with intact woodwork and wainscot in the original choir loft. Above a contemporary drop ceiling remains the original segmented arched ceiling. The vernacular features of this church are often seen in community-built religious structure across the Eastern Shore.
The completed drawings have be delivered to the Board of Directors of the Harrisville Malone Cemetery Maintenance Fund. While there is no active congregation at Malone’s Church there is a strong commitment form the Harrisville organization and larger community have been stewards of the property — this includes general upkeep of the Church and cemetery as they continue to accept new interments.
Presersvation Maryland created a partnership with the Harrisville Malone Cemetery Maintenance Fund through our Six-to-Fix program with the goals of addressing the needs of the historic structure and connecting it as a touchstone and educational opportunity to tell the story of freed African Americans on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Malone’s Church is currently included on maps and brochures associated with the Maryland’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway. As Maryland’s Eastern Shore continues to uncover, support, and promote it’s African American story, Malone’s Church has an opportunity to play a larger role in that story and in doing so provide essential resources into it’s preservation and interpretation strategies.
Learn more about Malone’s Church