The Amazing Grace Baptist Church was formed in 1990, under the leadership of Mike Bartoe of McArthur, Ohio. Once the congregation was well established Pastor Bartoe left the congregation in 1996. The original structure that this congregation used was once a diner called “Burger Delight,” just outside of Bridgetown. This building was built in the mid twentieth century between 1975 and 1985, however, the exact date is unknown. The diner went out of business and was soon after purchased by the congregation in 1990. The congregation was later incorporated in 1991. This building is situated lengthways to the road and is the size and shape of a modular home. This original building that the congregation used has a low-pitched brown steel roof with white vinyl siding on the façade. The building appears to have an addition on the side facing the road, containing the main entrance into the building. With this addition the building is now in the shape of an “L.” There are four windows on the building, all of which are vinyl. The most eye-catching feature of this building is the wooden cross, attached to the structure, containing the name of the church. The new structure (built 2014) was originally built by the congregation to house their “Old Fashioned Bluenose Camp meeting,” an event that brings together independent Baptist congregations from across the province. It is now the main facility that the congregation uses. This building was originally designed in the style of a barn, with tall ceilings and unfinished walls. Now that it is the main church, it has been completely finished inside and has white and blue steel on the roof and brown steel on the exterior walls. Photos of the interior are of the building built in 2014. This church is an independent Baptist church.
The Baptist church in Round Hill was torn down in 1979. It was a Greek Revival style that was a one storey wooden structure. Structure had medium pitched side gable roof with central slope chimney. Windows are in the Gothic Revival style and the building has a small rear addition in the back. Classical style hood moulding over the centrally placed double doors on the front façade.
Little is known today (2021) about this church or congregation; it is believed that no one is still alive that was once a member of this church. Nothing remains of the church building today.
Where 45 Main St. Middleton is today, now 65 School St.
Status
Dismantled, moved elsewhere
Date
Built 1861
Historical Information
This is believed by oral tradition to be the first Baptist church in Middleton. There is a cemetery across the road from where this church once stood with stones dating back to the 1790s. The church structure was in the Greek Revival style. Building has a medium pitched front gable roof with a three bay façade and a large centrally placed steeple. Windows are gothic in style with their rounded tops and label hood mouldings. A medium sized gothic window is visible over the double doors.
The most eye-catching feature of this building was the large, and narrow gothic shaped windows. As one examines the central steeple from the central doorway one can see a large and narrow window, along with a smaller window of the same shape and style directly above it. The exact style of the front façade mirrors that of other Gothic Revival churches in Annapolis County. One that looked almost identical to this one is the Clarence United Baptist Church prior to any exterior alterations. It was commonplace in the Annapolis Valley that churches were constructed by local craftsmen who learned their skills in the workplace, rather than studying and getting a degree.
It was used up to 1894 and torn down in 1899 to make way for the Baptist church that is in Middleton now.
In 1894 the Baptists purchased land on the west side of Commercial St and erected a new church. This church in Pine Grove was moved to School Street where it became part of the G. N. Reagh warehouse complex (now Fitness Experience Gym).
Information from Denise Rice and the ‘History of Middleton’.
The Evergreen Baptist Church in East Margaretsville, now known as the Evergreen Theatre, was built in 1857. It is typical for its time and resembles many churches that were built along the brow of the North Mountain. This church was built in the Greek Revival Style. It is a one storey wooden structure with a medium pitched gable roof. One of the most catching features of the building is the medallion window placed in the peak of the roof (no longer containing glass), and the other gothic style windows with their rounded tops and label hood mouldings. The building also has Gothic window over the double doors. One unique feature of this building is the windows placed centrally between the side of the front façade and the front doorway. This feature is unique to the building and sets it apart from others in the area.
For the first 140-plus years of its life the building was the Evergreen Baptist Church serving the small community of East Margaretsville. In 1999 its days as a church were ended, and it was offered to the community. A volunteer-built stage, cast-off seating and surplus theatre drapery have transformed the Evergreen into an intimate, acoustically superior-space. After 15 years of successful operations, a new ultra modern addition was added to the left side of the 1857 structure.
Information taken from the Evergreen Theatre Website.
1 km from Virginia East and Princedale Branch Road intersection
Status
Alternative use
Date
1906 - 1907
Historical Information
This structure is a Greek Revival, one and a half storey wood timber frame construction. It has a teeply pitched gable roof with front gable or temple plan, along with an enclosed one-storey entry on façade. Two chimneys come from the roof of structure, and a small dormer and door break the roof line on the east side of the house. Outside steps lead to this door (not original to when it was a church).
This structure is the former Virginia East Baptist Church and part of the Clementsvale Pastorate. It was built, according to oral tradition, by James Brown as head carpenter in 1906 and completed on January 11, 1907. The church began to be dismantled in 1971 and the structure was sold in 1973 for $350 to the Coomb family that currently (2021) own the building. No deed could be found for this transaction or the property on which the church stood.
Photos from Denise Rice
Information from County of Annapolis housing index
7 km North of the Virginia Road & Route #8 intersection
Status
Inactive
Date
1890
Historical Information
This church is an example of Greek Rival architecture. It includes a central projecting entrance and bell tower. The building has a central entrance but no steeple. It has a medium pitched gable roof with return eaves and pilasters. The façade has paired Romanesque or round arched windows. Rectangular windows along the sides have drip mould hood.
A history of Milford written by Pamela Hubley states “about 1890 the little congregation began the construction of the church. The land was a gift of Amos Hubley, whos wife Margaret became the first sexton. Logs for the building’s construction were donated by Henry Orde and Wallace Wright was the individual that sawed them out. The carpenter was E. C. Vidito who did most of the carpentry of the Church himself”. The trustees of the Graywood and Milford Baptist Church received the deed of land in 1887 from Amos Hubley.
Information from: County of Annapolis housing index
When the schoolhouse in Outram closed, the Outram School building was then dedicated, and became a Baptist church. The original structure on this site burned down in 1865 and was later rebuilt in 1867. It was not until 1964 that the structure was converted into use as a Baptist church and did not last for many years due to larger churches being in very close proximity to this structure.
The structure was Vernacular in style, a one and a half storey, wooden structure with a locally sourced timber frame, medium pitched side gable roof, central entryway, and double hung windows.
A deed for this property in 1872 was recorded to land including this lot in the name “Charles Banks.” Charles Banks subsequently conveyed a deed to George Parker Banks which excluded “the school lot.” The school property was held by the school trustees at that time until it was transferred to the Community Hall Association who held community activities in the 1970s during which time church services were held in the building. It appears that no formal religious group managed the property and that the services were held and organized by interested community members.
Information from: County of Annapolis housing index
The building is Modified Gothic Revival in style. It has a steeply pitched front gable roof. The windows on the side (west side) are in the Gothic style. This side used to be the front of the building prior to it being moved to current location. The front door is no longer used; a barn door has been added to the back of the structure (east side). The building is hand hewn timber frame, locally sourced from wood that grew on the North Mountain.
The original deed for this building has the “Trustees for the Brooklyn Public Hall for the people of Brooklyn and Clarence” listed as the first “owners”. The deed stated that if a trustee could no longer act as such, he was to be replaced by someone of the same religious denomination. Oral tradition states that this is the Brooklyn Union Church. This structure was originally closer to the north side of the highway and closer to the Mount Hanley Road, closer to the school that once stood here. It was moved to its current location by Al Peppard. The current use for the structure is a barn.
The original trustees for the church were Isaac Moore, Charles Neily, Ernest Neily of Brooklyn and Freeman Fitch of Clarence.
Information from: County of Annapolis housing index
The church at Inglisville originated in 1873 when members from the Nictaux Church living in Lawrencetown, Valley West, and Inglisville were affectionately dismissed from the church to reorganize into a church of the same faith and order. Within a decade of founding members of the church body constructed their own house of worship. Oral tradition suggests the church was built in 1878. Additional records suggest the building was completed and dedicated in 1882.