Fauquier Heritage & Preservation
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Marshall, Virginia’s Oldest Structure.
1771 - Upper Carter's Run Church. Fauquier County’s Only Surviving Colonial Church. Oldest Meeting House in Virginia built exclusively as a Baptist Church
1809 - 1909 Old Stone Academy school
Images
Heritage Building, Old Stone Academy, Upper Carter's Run Church
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
1771: Upper Carter’s Run Church
The original 24-by 40-foot building was constructed in 1771 as Upper Carter’s Run Baptist Church. The membership reached its peak of 96 in 1794 but disbanded by 1809 in large part because the pastor, Elder John Monroe, moved to Hampshire County in what is now West Virginia.
1796: Founding of Salem
In 1796, Elder Monroe laid out a plan for a town just North of the church and named it Salem. The town had 52 lots laid out on 30 acres along a main street with two cross streets. The town was later renamed Marshall after Chief Justice John Marshall, a native of the area.
1809: A Century as a School
In 1809 the building was converted to a school named Salem Academy. After the town was renamed Marshall, locals called it the Old Stone Academy. In 1871, when free public schools were established, the building was deeded to the Fauquier County Public Schools. It remained Marshall’s public school until 1909, having served as a school for 100 years. Photo is of the school’s Bell, cast around 1880, which is in the Gott Library collection.
1908: Serving the Community
Throughout its history, the building served the community of Marshall for many religious or civic activities. Each of Marshall’s other churches started out in this building, as did businesses such as the Marshall National Bank. It also served as a polling place, scene of public debates, and as a Masonic Lodge. The photo shows the frame addition with German siding that was constructed on the front of the building in 1888. The picture was taken in 1921 when the building was a private residence.
2003: Restoration as a Library
In 1996, a non-profit foundation purchased and restored the building. The John Gott Library, dedicated to preserving and sharing Fauquier County history, has occupied the building since
Sources
Fauquier Heritage & Preservation Foundation; Gott Library, Gott, John K
Gott, John. High I Old Virginia’s Piedmont, January 1st, 1987. Accessed March 21st, 2023. Www.thegottlibrary.org.
Gott Library