Town of Middleburg to restore Asbury Church

The Town Council of Middleburg took action at its Sept. 8, meeting to retain ownership of the historic Asbury Church, located at 105 N. Jay Street. The Town will also update the stabilization plan of the church, and move toward completing its restoration and reopening.

The Town was gifted the Asbury Church building in late 2014 and has already invested over $174,000 to stabilize the building and protect it from further deterioration. Since that time, the Town has sought partners interested in the adaptive restoration and reuse of the building.

Asbury Church was constructed in 1829 as the home of the Methodist Congregation in Middleburg. It served as a hospital and morgue in the Civil War and was subsequently donated to the African American Methodist Church in 1864.

It became a central component of the African American community in Middleburg, also serving as the location of the school for African American children. Based on the significance of the property and input from the community, the Town has determined that the best pathway forward is to retain the building and move forward ahead with an immediate plan for restoration that can be completed in the next 12-18 months.

As an initial step, the Town Council has directed staff to update the stabilization plan for Asbury Church to include accounting for aspects of the prior stabilization plan that were not completed. The Town authorized $50,000 toward this initial effort and any immediate repairs, and it directed staff to return with the updated stabilization plan with estimated costs.

Likely improvements include further stabilization of the foundation, repairs to the exterior and windows, repairs to the interior (in keeping with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards for historic renovation), and site improvements for ADA access.

The Town Council will work with local historic and community groups to create an interpretive history of Asbury Church, including a discussion of race relations in Middleburg, the brave men and women who brought integration to Middleburg, and the importance of historic preservation in Middleburg.

The Town will further develop ongoing partnerships with local entities interested in hosting events, community activities, and historic commemorations at Asbury Church, to include the former congregants of the church.

The Town anticipates the church being available for community use by small groups. The Town has committed to working with the Middleburg Museum Foundation and other local historic and preservation groups in these efforts.

“The Town’s unexpected budget surplus in 2022 has allowed us to commit the funds needed for the restoration and long-term preservation and sustainability of Asbury Church for the greater Middleburg community,” said Mayor Bridge Littleton.

The Town of Middleburg will engage in a full community effort to ensure that this historic property will serve the Middleburg community for generations to come.