{"nrhp_refnum":"03001424","name":"Beulah Baptist Church","other_names":["Dhr#100-5015-0002"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"320 S. Washington St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Alexandria (Independent City)","county":"Alexandria","state":"VA","lat":38.804019577000076,"lon":-77.04722572799994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2004-01-16","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Black","Education"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Beulah Baptist Church is a two-story, front-gabled brick church at 320 South Washington Street in Alexandria, Virginia, built in 1863 on the edge of the historically African American neighborhood known as \"the Bottoms.\"","why_significant":"The nomination argues the church is significant for its role in African American ethnic heritage and education. It was the first church organized in Alexandria after Federal occupation in 1861 and housed the city's first contraband school. It is one of the few remaining sites tied to contraband education in the city.","narrative":"Beulah Baptist Church, at 320 South Washington Street in Alexandria, is a brick church built in 1863. Its front gable is parapeted, with a large stained-glass window above the entrance, recessed brick panels, and small brick pinnacles at the facade corners. The roof was raised at least twice, and a rear addition dates to 1920-1923. The church was organized by the Reverend Clem Robinson, an educated minister who had been barred from returning to Virginia until Federal troops occupied Alexandria. It was the first church organized in the city after that occupation. Alongside worship, the congregation ran schools for formerly enslaved people, called contrabands, including primary, normal and theological, and evening classes taught in the basement and a rear building. Enrollment reached 715 in the first year. The schools closed after the public school system formed in 1870 and Robinson retired in 1875. The congregation also helped newcomers find shelter, work and clothing. The church remains an active congregation.","period_of_significance":"1863-1953","architect_builder":"Unknown","architectural_style":"Mid-19th Century","criteria":["A"],"status_note":"Still in use as a religious facility; current function is listed as religion/church school.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:52:02.911511-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/20/6785/41678520/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/03001424.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/03001424/80a010696e-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/03001424/80a010696e-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"The original uploader was Ser Amantio di Nicolao at English Wikipedia.","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beulah_Baptist_Church_2.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">The original uploader was Ser Amantio di Nicolao at English Wikipedia.</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beulah_Baptist_Church_2.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"66000928","name":"Alexandria Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/virginia/alexandria-historic-district-66000928/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41678520","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beulah_Baptist_Church","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4899254"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/alexandria/beulah-baptist-church-03001424/"}