Architecture

St John’s Baptist Church and Moses Lodge - Hurleytown, Virginia /  by Todd Henson

St. John’s Baptist Church and Moses Lodge

If you’ve ever driven along Green Road in Hurleytown, part of Midland, Virginia, you may recognize these buildings, St. John’s Baptist Church and Moses Lodge, also known as St. John’s Odd Fellows Hall. I found them thanks to my father, who knows I enjoy seeing and photographing older buildings, and who learned of these through a friend (so thanks to family and friends!).

After I photograph buildings like these I love trying to find some history to go along with them. In this case each building had some clues. The church had a sign on the side of it indicating it had been rebuilt in 1931. And Moses Lodge had a sign that was a bit difficult to fully read, but said “BREWER DELIGHT” and something about “MOSES” and “ORGANIZED APRIL.6.1905”. Also, the church is still actively used and their website indicated it was originally erected in Hurleytown on September 17, 1894.

A sign on St. John’s Baptist Church indicating it was rebuilt in 1931.

A sign on Moses Lodge indicating it was organized on April 6, 1905.

After doing more searching I found a document in the Special Collections of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources titled: “Phase I Architectural Survey of Selected African American Historic Resources” from 2021. This was a fantastic bit of research where I learned that distinct African American communities were established throughout Fauquier County largely due to segregation laws and housing discrimination of the time. These communities were usually centered around a church and a school. In this case we have Hurleytown with a church and a lodge, or hall.

St. John’s Baptist Church

Hurleytown is named after Lawson Hurley, a farmer who purchased land in the area after the Civil War. In 1880 Hurley was described as “a 56-year old African American who could not read or write, but who owned…” and tilled land. It’s said a church was in the community as early as 1869, but it was 1894 that the land where St. John’s Baptist Church resides was granted by Samuel and Belle Smith. Later, in 1910, the Smiths deeded more land to the trustees of the “Moses and Juvenile Lodge of Hurleytown.” Moses Lodge, also called St. John’s Odd Fellows Hall was build in 1905. And the church was rebuilt in 1931 after a devastating fire destroyed the original building. The new building is described in the survey as “a one-story, three-bay, vernacular church building with some Gothic Revival-style elements.”

Moses Lodge, or St. John’s Odd Fellows Hall

The lodge appeared to go by various names, Moses Lodge, St. John’s Odd Fellows Hall, and possibly the Moses and Juvenile Lodge of Hurleytown. The Order of the Odd Fellows was an historic fraternal order. There were apparently at least two different Orders of Odd Fellows and it’s not clear which of these the hall may have been associated with. And given the name Moses Lodge, it’s unclear whether this may have in some way been associated with the Ancient United Order of the Sons and Daughters, Brothers and Sisters of Moses, another fraternal group of the time.

St. John’s Baptist Church and Odd Fellows Hall

I hope you enjoyed these fascinating pieces of local history and views of the buildings.

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Rector’s Warehouse and Station - Rectortown, Virginia /  by Todd Henson

Rector’s Warehouse and Station

Built around 1835, it started as a warehouse and store and later, around 1852 was expanded to include a railway station and post office with the arrival of the Manassas Gap Railroad. During the Civil War it was used as one of Colonel John S. Mosby’s headquarters and a prison for captured Federal troops and still contains traces of graffiti from the prisoners inside.

The railroad and Rector’s Warehouse

An informational sign at the location mentions two notable events that occurred in the vicinity. On November 7, 1862, General George Brinton McClellan received orders from President Abraham Lincoln relieving him of his command. He was handed these orders by General C.P. Buckingham, and afterwards General Ambrose Burnside was given command of the Army.

Rector’s Warehouse and Station still stands

The second event involved Colonel Mosby, whose rangers roamed all over this area fighting Union soldiers. Seven of his rangers had been executed. In return, on November 6, 1864, Mosby ordered the execution of an equal number of Federals from the 27 prisoners held in the building. They were selected via a raffle with a bit on an ironic twist in that when a drummer boy was selected an officer pleaded for another drawing to replace the boy. That officer ended up being chosen instead. Apparently, the officer and three of the others survived while the final three were hanged.

A side view of Rector’s Warehouse and Station

Rectortown, where this is located, was established in 1772 and is the oldest town in Fauquier County, Virginia. It was named after the merchant John Rector, who owned the land that formed the original village.

Doors and windows

Window and door

A window into Rector’s Warehouse

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A Visit to Occoquan Workhouse (2010) /  by Todd Henson

A Visit to Occoquan Workhouse (2010)

Built in 1910, the Occoquan Workhouse was originally a lower security prison facility run by the District of Columbia and located in Lorton, Virginia. Later it began housing people convicted of more serious crimes and was renamed Lorton Reformatory and eventually Lorton Correctional Complex. Before it finally closed in 2001 it had become overcrowded and known for frequent violence and occasional escapes. I remember times when local alerts would go out of an escaped convict and the police efforts to bring them back.

The photo above was created 100 years after the site was built, in 2010. It was a very overcast day, and later in the day it rained, but it hadn’t yet begun when I walked through this portion of the location. I hope to share more photos in the future as I sort through them, some of areas that have since been demolished.

Thankfully, this part of the location, once full of problems was destined for a more hopeful future. In 2005 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places and in 2008 it became home to the Workhouse Arts Center where local artists could set up studios and invite the public to come see them work, purchase their artwork, and attend classes, exhibitions and special events. It’s now a wonderful location to visit, in many ways similar to the older and perhaps better known Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria. Stop by if you’re ever in the area. It’s worth a visit.

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