People, Locations, Episodes

The Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church (Princess Anne, Maryland) is Founded

The Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church

This date in 1884 marks the founding of the Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church in Princess Anne, Maryland.

The first congregation of this church consisted of Black slaves who worshiped in the balcony of the St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Princess Anne, Maryland.  It was originally called the Metropolitan United Methodist Church when it started in 1842.  Slaves organized themselves into a separate church and erected a frame building on the farm of Georgia Jones in 1842. It was named the John Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church.  During the American Civil War, the free Black community was actively involved in education and established the first Black school in Somerset County, Maryland.  While looking for property, they settled for a cemetery purchased from Hamden Deshields.

Along with the school, a church was built with the same name, where worship services were held until 1886.  As the membership increased, the building became too small, and the land was purchased on June 3, 1884, for $400 from Thomas Dixon.  At the time, this was the site of the old county jail and auction block where Negroes were sold during slavery.  This property (on Broad Street) was purchased. The cornerstone of the present church was laid on September 30, 1886, and it was given the name Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church.

Over the years, renovation, attentive care, and the need to maintain a place for worship have kept the congregation an active one to the present day. The current name is Metropolitan United Methodist Church, located at 30522 East Broad Street, Princess Anne, Maryland.