In 1888, the local trustees of the African American Methodist-Episcopal Church that met at the Second Street School was able to purchase a hilly lot on Bond Street to construct a permanent church building. The John Wesley Community Church would take three years to build- men of the congregation (many being local craftsman) would work on the building at night while women would hold up lanterns for light. In 1891, the John Wesley Community Church was completed. The church congregation would meet in the building for years- hosting countless services, baptisms, weddings, ice cream socials, and more. The church officially closed in 1968, when the dwindling congregation combined with another in western Loudoun. In 1999, former members and descendants joined with the Waterford Foundation to preserve this integral property to the Waterford National Historic Landmark, and the stories of the community it served be preserved and celebrated as well.
In 2002, a long term capital rehabilitation and restoration project began at the John Wesley Community Church. The goal now is to finish returning the building to its period of significance and to make historically sensitive capital improvements to the building to improve accessibility and long-term stability. As well, the Foundation aims to implement interpretive materials in the space long term that shares the story of the African American community of Waterford, with involvement from the descendant community. This would support the long-term preservation of integral property to the Waterford National Historic Landmark and help in sharing the history of the church and its congregation with the public.
Read on below to learn more about updates on the project (last updated on 2/4/2025), past work at the John Wesley Community Church, and ways to support the restoration!
Updates:
Come explore the John Wesley Community Church (JWCC) to learn more about the restoration projects that are slated to begin in 2025 and the history of the John Wesley Community Church; and spend time with your fellow preservation supporters in the fellowship hall for refreshments.
Date and Time: Saturday, February 22nd from 3-5pm
Location: The John Wesley Community Church (40125 Bond Street, Waterford VA)
Parking: Parking is limited around the John Wesley Community Church on Main and Liggett Streets. For non-street parking, we invite visitors to part at the Old School (40222 Fairfax Street) and take the quick walk through the Village to the JWCC.
RSVPS are not required but encouraged! To RSVP for the event, please go to this link.
Late 2024
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (VDHR) awarded a partial funding grant from the Virginia Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Fund. Money from this will go to help covering the balcony stabilization, plaster restoration on the ceiling and altar wall, improvements to exterior entries to make them more accessible, and exterior repairs. Work with these funds must be completed by the end of 2026. The Foundation is continuing to look into other funding opportunities for the remaining work costs.
Past Work:
2022: Lighting upgrades were made in the fellowship hall. Thanks to the help of volunteers, the fellowship hall walls were limewashed.
2019: a Historic Structures Report (HSR) was created through an in-kind donation by SmithGroup. This report provides architectural documentation, details, and recommendations to support the last stage of the restoration project.
2018: Work finished on bringing water to the building through the digging of a well on the property. The water goes to support two bathrooms (one being accessible) and a small kitchenette in the fellowship hall.
2017: The interior staircase was reinstalled to connect the fellowship hall and sanctuary.
2011: The chandelier in the sanctuary was reinstalled.
2002: Stabilization work at the John Wesley Community Church first started, with the first priority being the foundation and the bell tower. HVAC was also added to the building during the time, and repairs were made to the electrical wiring.
Ways to Support the Restoration Project
There are two main ways that you can support the Restoration Project monetarily: donations to the Lantern Light Fund and becoming a member or sustaining donor to the Waterford Foundation! To learn more about all the ways to support the Waterford Foundation, check out the support page.
Lantern Light Fund: The Lantern Light Fund is a restricted fund where all donations to it supports the sites, stories, and artifacts of Waterford’s African American heritage, including the John Wesley Community Church restoration. To learn more about the Lantern Light Fund and to donate, click on this link.
Becoming a Waterford Foundation Member or Sustaining Donor: The Waterford Foundation relies heavily on the support from members and sustaining donors to fulfill our mission of preserving the historic buildings and open spaces of the Waterford National Historic Landmark, and through education, increasing the public’s knowledge of life and work in an early American rural community. This includes the restoration project at the John Wesley Community Church, which when completed will help preserve this integral property to the Landmark long term. A member to the Waterford Foundation receives various benefits, including voting power and Fair tickets. To learn more about becoming a member and different membership levels, click on this link.
Sustaining donors are those who donate at regular recurring intervals one or more times per year. To set up a recurring donation, check out our donation page here or reach out to the office at oldschool@waterfordfoundation.org.
Thank you for your support of the John Wesley Community Church Restoration Project, and the Waterford National Historic Landmark. Make sure to keep checking this page for updates, or follow along on social media! You can find the Waterford Foundation on Facebook or Instagram
