On Sunday, July 1^st, Nancy Goldring of the Northeast Towson Improvement Association graciously took members of the Outreach team on a guided tour of Historic East Towson. East Towson became a free black community in 1829 when then Governor Charles Ridgely of Hampton Estates died and freed some of his slaves in his will. Many of the East Towson residents are descended from the original community members, including Ms. Goldring and our own Linda Jolly, who accompanied us and helped share the rich history of the neighborhood and families who live there. We were warmly greeted by several East Towson residents and Linda even saw her father and aunt during the tour! Some of the highlights included:

St. James AMUP Church – established in 1863, St. James is the second oldest church in Towson. Members originally met in residents’ homes until the church was built in 1881 as a one-story building. In 1906 the second story was added.

St. James AMUP Church

Carver Community Center – this building was originally constructed in 1940 as one of the first schools in Baltimore County for African American students. Following desegregation, it became a Head Start program and is now the Community Center for East Towson.

The Outreach Team in front of the Community Center

Carver Community Center

The Jacob House – one of the first homes build by an African American landowner and belonged to Linda Jolly’s great, great, great grandmother, Mary Williams. Her son, Albert Wilson, was a prominent member of the community, and the area became known as Wilson’s Corner.  His son, Jacob Wilson, served in WWII, and the cabin has since been named after him, The Jacob House. Although the cabin was damaged in a fire in 1998, the East Towson community advocated for its restoration; the project was led by Ms. Goldring’s mother, Adelaide Bentley, and the cabin was repaired and rededicated in 2011.

Linda Jolly in front of The Jacob House

Inside The Jacob House

William Jones Basketball Court – located on the grounds of Carver Community Center and next to The Jacob House, the court was named after Linda Jolly’s uncle, William Jones, who grew up playing on the court and attended Towson High School. He won the Baltimore County Championship three years in a row during his high school career and received a scholarship to the University of Maryland, becoming the first African American player at UMD. In December of 1965, in a game against Penn State, he became the first African American basketball player to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, breaking the color barrier. UMD has since renamed its athletic facility the Jones-Hill House to honor him and Darryl Hill, the first African American football player to play for UMD and in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Adelaide Bentley Park – dedicated in 2017 as a green space for the community and named after Ms. Goldring’s mother and community activist, Adelaide Bentley.

Adelaide Bentley Park

The Pride of Towson Elk’s Lodge – due to the fact that African American’s were not permitted to join the existing Towson chapter at the time, the Pride of Towson Elk’s Lodge was established in 1928 and remains active today, hosting community events, receptions, and fundraisers. It is currently under renovation.

The former home of Albert A. Brooks – Albert A. Brooks was born enslaved by Edward Gorsuch, but purchased his freedom and joined the Union Army. He later became the sexton at Trinity Church for approximately 20 years. His funeral took place at Trinity Church in 1902. Albert’s son, Charles Winfred Brooks attended Sunday School at Trinity and became a minister, serving at St. Phillips in Annapolis and at St. Mark’s Alabama. Upon returning to visit East Towson, Rev. Brooks held services for members of the African American community at Trinity. News of Rev. Brooks’ return visits to the Towson area was noted in the Baltimore Sun at the time.

Albert H. Wilson

Former home of Albert Brooks