Historic Dedication Announced
Near completion, the former Bethel A.M.E. Church will reopen as Bethel Center, a place to honor and preserve African American history.
The Bethel A.M.E. Church was originally dedicated on September 23rd, 1900. That building will be re-dedicated and transformed into Bethel Center on the very day the Church first opened its doors to a Black congregation in Oakland, Maryland. The building was the only “colored” church in Garrett County, becoming a sanctuary for African Americans at the turn of the twentieth century. For three decades, the humble structure bustled with Sunday services, weddings, baptisms, social events, guest speakers, schooling, and end-of-life services. Originally located at the corner of 5th and High streets in Oakland, the A.M.E. Church had a prominent location at the main entrance to the Oakland Cemetery. Several of the congregation’s parishioners lay in rest in the Oddfellows’ section or what is often referred to as the “old cemetery.” In 1935, the empty structure was relocated to an Amish farm in Pleasant Valley, where it served as a wheelwright’s shop to repair buggies and harnesses until 2022.
The re-dedication ceremony will include words from Mountain Lake Park’s Mayor Don Sincell. By default, Sincell became the project manager, overseeing the building’s purchase and securing grant funding with the endorsement from his town council. He contracted Jeremy and Jason Martin to relocate and restore the sacred space. The brothers specialize in razing old structures and skillfully working with salvaged materials. This major undertaking involved dismantling the A.M.E. Church from its second home in Pleasant Valley. The roof, four walls, and the floor were deconstructed, allowing the building to be trucked to its new permanent home in the heart of the Historic District of Mountain Lake Park. The beautiful shaded lot where Bethel Center now stands overlooks Maryland Highway and is easily visible to passersby. Bethel Center will be a heritage destination to remember and honor the African American citizens who helped shape Garrett County during its formative years.
Before the official dedication ceremony begins, HALO, an all-female African American acapella quartet, will sing spiritual songs inside the church. Beginning at 1:00 PM, people are welcome to preview the church inside while enjoying the traditional music. Volunteers will be on hand to answer questions, and a special message box invites visitors to leave a note written to the past, present, or future. Over time, the collection of messages will mark the number of visitors to the site. Following the vocal performance, the official dedication ceremony will begin at 1:30 PM under a large tent on the grounds with seating for 200. Light refreshments will be served.
Also slated for the program are an opening prayer from Phyllis Anderson, Storyteller Diane Macklin, Garrett County NAACP President Devin Barroga, Maryland NAACP President Kobi Little, reflections from Kate Smith, an original poem created and performed by Marcia Cole, words from the Maryland Historical Trust, from whom significant grant funding made the project possible, and a closing prayer from Johnathan Anderson. Attendees will receive a complimentary twenty-page full-color commemorative program while supplies last.
As Maryland’s 63rd and first African American Governor, Wes Moore declared 2024 “The Year Of Civil Rights.” Bethel Center fits squarely into Moore’s initiative to address the importance of civil rights among all of his state’s citizens. The African American population that was once a vibrant part of Garrett County vanished following the Great Depression, causing the A.M.E. Church congregation to dwindle and eventually end along with resort railroad travelers. It would appear today that this faction of the county’s founding citizens would never have existed. Thanks to recent and ongoing research, fascinating people of color who were influential and integral in the mountaintop communities such as Oakland, Mountain Lake Park, Loch Lynn Heights, and Deer Park are being discovered and shared through Bethel Center.
As the dedication program ends, HALO will perform a closing song to leave everyone on a high note. The church will remain open for final tours, and the Town Trolley will conduct a tour of the Historic District for those interested. The Ticket Office Museum will open after the dedication ceremony.
