Mount Gilead Church will open its doors to the public on Sunday, May 7, for a chance to see inside and learn the history of the little church on Buckingham Mountain.
Dating back to 1834, Mount Gilead is believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad in Bucks County. If you’ve ever wondered what is inside Mount Gilead, this is your opportunity to tour the grounds and learn the history from experts.
The Open House will be held rain or shine from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 7 at Mount Gilead, 1940 Holicong Road, New Hope (Buckingham Township). Attendees are invited to take a self-guided tour of the church, basement and grounds. Local experts and historians will be available to answer questions and share information on the Underground Railroad in Bucks County and at the church.
Experts will include Doreen Stratton, local expert on the Underground Railroad in Bucks County; David Jackson, pastor of Mount Gilead, providing Mount Gilead history; Jennifer Jarrett, historical architect leading Mount Gilead cemetery’s headstone refurbishing project; Meagan Ratini, who has done extensive research on the Mount Gilead Cemetery and notable residents buried there; and Kathy Auerbach, educator and Mount Gilead researcher.
The Open House is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the rich history of Mount Gilead, and is part of an ongoing fundraising effort to preserve the church for future generations. During the Open House, attendees can see and bid on a painting of the church by local artist Jim Lukens, which is being auctioned off to benefit restoration efforts.
Community volunteers have launched a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $100,000 for the extensive repairs needed to ensure that the building and cemetery are preserved. Funds will go toward interior and exterior building improvements, including replacing and painting shutters, removing and replacing wood siding, installing a new roof, gutters and downspouts, replacing all windows, repairing and replacing interior plaster, and repair and replacement of all pews, pulpit and railings.
Mount Gilead Community Church is located on Holicong Road on the top ridge of Buckingham Mountain. Its history dates back to the early 1800s, when a community of free people of African descent formed on the Buckingham Mountain. By 1822 the community included 15 members of the newly-formed African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.
This group originally worshiped with the neighboring AME congregation at Mount Moriah in New Hope. In 1834, the community was large enough to organize Mount Gilead as an independent church, and a small log meetinghouse was built on the mountain. The church measures only 32- by 52-feet, with one room at ground level and a partial basement.
A half-acre cemetery lies next to the church. The original graveyard lot was purchased from Thomas Atkinson in 1860 for $1 and an addition was purchased from Thomas Leary in 1909 for $20. There are 243 marked graves located there—including recent ones—and even more unmarked.
Mount Gilead Community Church has no permanent congregation. However, it continues to function as a church with devoted followers, both black and white, holding five community services a year on the mountain. The church has no funding except for donations and offerings at the five services. It survives with this modest amount of money and significant donations of labor by volunteers.
For information about Mount Gilead, or to donate to the fundraising campaign, visit www.mountgilead.org.
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