Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Maryland Dickerson Warren Historic Site
AO Edited

Warren Historic Site

Once the center of a thriving early Black community called Martinsburg.

Dickerson, Maryland

B blimpcaptain profile photo
Added By
Ian Hall
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Warren Historic Site   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Warren Historic Site   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Warren Historic Site   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Warren Historic Site   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Warren Historic Site   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
Loving Charity Lodge prior to renovations.   "Warren Historic Site, Loving Charity Hall" by presmd is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Martinsburg was an African-American community consisting of about 30-40 homesteads that formed as the Civil War was coming to an end. The intersection of White's Ferry Road and Martinsburg Road was the epicenter of this town. Its three most important buildings, the church, school, and lodge (renovated in 2019) are still standing in what was once the heart of Martinsburg. It is the last such site in Maryland to retain all three of these structures.

The site is comprised of the Warren United Methodist Church, the one-room Elmer School, and the Loving Charity Lodge Hall. 

The original church site is about a mile away from the Warren Historic Site. The original cemetery remains there, but the church was moved to its current location in 1876. The new church was named after Isaac Warren, one of the original members of its first board of trustees.

The school served grades 1-5 and about 50 students matriculated through the school's doors. The Loving Charity Lodge Hall was the headquarters for the Loving Charity Society, which was founded to provide sick and burial insurance, along with services for community members who were not able to obtain insurance elsewhere.

The congregation of Warren United Methodist Church was active until 1993 when it merged with the congregation of Mount Zion United Methodist Church. 

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Know Before You Go

While there is no active congregation today, the site is lovingly cared for by the Warren Historic Site Committee, formed in 1997. With the help of volunteers, they run fundraisers to maintain the building and host weddings and community events at the site.

Community Contributors

B blimpcaptain profile photo

Added By

blimpcaptain

Published

August 4, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Related Tags

History & Culture Black History Schools Churches
Warren Historic Site
22625 Whites Ferry Rd
Dickerson, Maryland, 20842
United States
39.163993, -77.474253
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Old Town Hall Bank Museum and Exhibit Hall

Poolesville, Maryland

miles away

John Poole House

Poolesville, Maryland

miles away

Edward D. Baker Memorial Stone

Leesburg, Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Maryland

Maryland

United States

Places 269
Stories 15

Nearby Places

The Old Town Hall Bank Museum and Exhibit Hall

Poolesville, Maryland

miles away

John Poole House

Poolesville, Maryland

miles away

Edward D. Baker Memorial Stone

Leesburg, Virginia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Maryland

Maryland

United States

Places 269
Stories 15

Related Places

  • Chain Bridge Road School

    Washington, D.C.

    Chain Bridge Road School

    A rare example of a rural school in Washington, D.C.

  • Interior picture taken from window.

    Bluemont, Virginia

    Snickersville Academy

    A glimpse into early 19th-century education.

  • Thomas Isaac Log Cabin

    Ellicott City, Maryland

    Thomas Isaac Log Cabin

    A former pillar of the Black community in Ellicott City.

  • St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Mission Church

    Hachita, New Mexico

    St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Mission Church

    This abandoned church dominates the landscape of a former mining boomtown.

  • Train rumbling past Montpelier Station.

    Montpelier Station, Virginia

    Historic Montpelier Railroad Depot

    This historic train depot transports visitors to an early 20th-century world before desegregation

  • Cemetery.

    Brandywine, Maryland

    Church of the Atonement Cemetery

    A cemetery and stairs are all that remains of this former church

  • Sandhills Youth Complex

    Raeford, North Carolina

    Sandhills Youth Complex

    This abandoned building with a murky history has been both a school and a prison.

  • Bray School today.

    Williamsburg, Virginia

    Bray School

    Colonial Williamsburg was home to one of the earliest institutions in North America dedicated to educating Black children.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.