The Church that Named Bethesda

with Hank Levine of the Bethesda Historical Society

The Past, Present and Future of the Bethesda Meeting House – “the church that named Bethesda.”

Despite being among the community’s most storied buildings, the Bethesda Meeting House was vacant and deteriorating when it was acquired last year by an affiliate of the Bethesda Historical Society. Constructed in 1820 (and rebuilt in 1850 after a fire) it features a rare “slave gallery,” was the town’s first Post Office, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the MoCo Master Plan for Historic Preservation. Tradition has it that Abraham Lincoln worshipped there, and it was occupied by Confederate cavalry during Jubal Early’s raid on Washington in July 1864.

Bethesda Metro Area Village, Bethesda Historical Society, and Connie Morella Library, present Bethesda historian Hank Levine giving an illustrated tour of this iconic building’s history, significance, and future.

Free and open to all. No registration necessary.

Space is limited! Tickets will be available beginning 30 minutes prior to the event.

Bethesda Metro Area Village a volunteer-driven neighborhood nonprofit that works to build community connections among neighbors through social engagement and recruiting volunteers to help one another. Check out www.bmavillage.org for more information.

Questions about this program? Contact the branch at (240) 777-0970.

Accommodation Requests

People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing should request English-language captioning or sign-language interpretation at least five days before the library-sponsored program they plan to attend. Contact the Assistant Facilities and Accessibility Program Manager at 240-777-0002 with all other accommodation requests.

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