St. James M. E. Church
*On this date in 1879, St. James Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated.
The House of Worship, located in Oriole, Maryland, was not built until 1885. The church community comprised free Blacks and watermen who desired a place to conduct social and spiritual matters.
Over time, the congregation gradually disbanded and became too small to maintain the facility. Soon, the building was abandoned and eventually fell into poor condition. The church was restored through the efforts of the Oriole Historical Society.
While the church is known as St. James Methodist Church, the present cornerstone reads "St. James M E Church" with no apparent evidence. "M E" was an abbreviation for Methodist Episcopal at the time.
Oriole Historical Society, Ellene Bradshaw
P.O. Box 75, Nanticoke, MD 21804
410/873-2848/Open by appointment
