History: Halltown Memorial Chapel
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, the Chapel was founded as the Halltown Union Colored Sunday School in 1901 on the Old Smithfield- Charles Town-Harpers Ferry Turnpike. The Chapel was built on land donated by Daniel B. Lucas, a former State Supreme Court Justice, from his nearby Rion Hall estate in response to the need of the Black community for a place of worship. Original trustees of the Halltown Union Colored Sunday School were T.C. Green, George S. Euster, Frank Nichols, Moten Shelton, Roy Allison, and William White.
The Chapel was constructed by volunteer carpenters and stone masons, some employed during the day by the nearby Halltown Paper Mill. Working in the evenings after their day jobs, they constructed the building from local wood and limestone, and moved to the building site on sleds and wagons drawn by mules and horses. The building portrays the Gothic Revival style popular in the mid 19th century reflecting the public’s taste for buildings inspired by medieval design. It has eight engaged buttresses (four on each side wall) that reinforce the walls to the height of the window sills. The pointed arched windows and door are prominent elements in the design. The roof is steeply pitched in the Gothic style, and the entrance is sheltered with a stick-style roof that carries a short shingle-covered belfry. The sanctuary's open beamed gable roof is designed similarly to the open beamed roof of the entrance porch.
The Chapel is a unique example of stone religious architecture in Jefferson County and in the State of West Virginia, and its cathedral-like style gives it a stately and inspiring presence. Stained glass windows on the Chapel's rear wall are distinguishing features as is the Edna Shelton memorial stained glass window over the front door. Miss Shelton, a descendant of a Chapel founder, died as a toddler shortly after the Chapel was built.
Edna Shelton’s parents had other children, including Olive Braxton, who graduated from nearby Storer College, a Historically Black College. Storer College was founded in 1867 and educated 7,000 students before closing in 1955. Mrs. Braxton made a career helping children in a special Jefferson County, WV schools' reading program. Serving as a place of worship for more than three dozen parishioners until after World War II when that number declined, the Chapel continued to host weddings, baptisms, and other events into the late 1980s.
Philip Braxton, the descendant of Moten Shelton, an original Chapel trustee, serves as the Halltown Memorial Chapel Association President. Mr. Braxton is spearheading the restoration of the Chapel and the adjacent Halltown African-American Free School.
Wayman Braxton, Olive Braxton's son, was married in the Chapel on February 6, 1988. Philip Braxton, Wayman’s brother, and descendant of Moten Shelton, an original Chapel trustee, serves as the Halltown Memorial Chapel Association President. Mr. Braxton is spearheading the restoration efforts of both the Chapel and the Free School.
As an example of the Edwards-Shelton-Braxton family's commitment, Mrs. Olive Braxton sold soup and sandwiches at the Halltown Paper Mill to raise funds for the restoration of these structures. The Chapel serves as a testament to the dedication of African-Americans in the early 20th century to establish a welcoming place of worship and fellowship. Taken together with the Free School, these structures evidence the determination and strong will of the local African-American community to offer educational and religious opportunities when none otherwise existed.
As a result of the commitment of volunteers and the financial support of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Chapel is being restored. The National Trust recognizes the significance of the Chapel in telling the story of African-American life in Jefferson County and is supporting the restoration through its “Preserving Black Churches” grant program. The Halltown Memorial Chapel Association is one of 35 organizations in 22 states to receive a portion of the approximately $4 million in 2023 in grant funding to advance long-term and sustainable strategies that strengthen stewardship, asset management, interpretation, and fundraising activities for historic Black churches across the country. This program works to uplift the legacy of often-overlooked Black churches, ensuring their capacities to serve the spiritual and social needs of their communities for years to come.
Once restored, the Chapel will be available to host small gatherings and events. The Halltown Memorial Chapel Association is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. Please consider becoming a member. The preservation and continued upkeep of these historic structures are supported entirely through the work of volunteers and proceeds from donations, memberships, and fundraisers. Please email HalltownMemorialChapelAssn@gmail.com for information about memberships or to make a donation to support the continued maintenance of the Chapel and the ongoing restoration of the Free School.