Vintage teddy bears and children’s chairs will be featured at the antiques and collectibles sale in Evolve next weekend. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Finding ways to save local buildings of historic significance can be a challenge. But for one organization, the Halltown Memorial Chapel Association, that challenge is one worth tackling. This coming weekend, Feb. 24-26, an Antiques & Collectibles Sale will be held in Evolve, to raise funds for the restoration of two historic buildings of local significance.

“This is the first fundraiser we have held at Evolve to benefit the restoration,” said Halltown Memorial Chapel Association member Kim Lowry, of Harpers Ferry, mentioning this was her idea. “I organize two other antiques sales during the year, in April and September, at the War Memorial Building, and decided to organize this sale as a smaller fundraiser at Evolve during the month of February, as it is Black History Month.”

Both buildings being restored — the Halltown Memorial Chapel and Halltown Colored Free School — are significant to local Black history, according to Lowry.

“The chapel was built by hand, by volunteers from the local African American community,” Lowry said, noting the chapel was built in 1901 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The Halltown Colored Free School dates even further back in history, to 1870. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, Lowry said.

A selection of vintage and antique quilts will be on sale in Evolve, including those pictured here. Courtesy photo

“Thomas Edwards, a freed slave, built the free school with his money to educate his large family, including 13 grandchildren. As African American children could not attend schools for white students, the free school is a testament to the determination of Mr. Edwards, to provide an education during a time of separate and unequal opportunities,” Lowry said. “The free school closed in 1929, at which time it was converted into a private residence.”

Unfortunately, over the years, both buildings have experienced major disrepair. But with fundraisers like this sale, Lowry said she hopes to see both buildings experience a second life.

“We hope the chapel will again be used for weddings, services and community events,” Lowry said. “We hope the free school can display photos and other documentation from the period, to promote the understanding and interpretation of African American life in Jefferson County, [during] the late-19th and early-20th centuries.”

Lowry said she is looking forward to this sale, as she is anticipating being able to create beautiful displays with the antiques and collectibles she, Paul Gordon of Paul Gordon Design Studio and Beth Leisure-Hudson will be contributing to the event.

“Our antiques inventories will be attractively displayed both in the front windows and inside. We will offer for sale painted primitives, antique and vintage quilts, antique rugs, folk art, vintage teddy bears and children’s chairs, decorative smalls, artwork, vintage silk Japanese kimonos and other fun and unique items,” Lowry said, mentioning a generous percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the restoration projects. “We hope community members will come out to shop for quality antiques and collectibles, while supporting the restoration of the Halltown Memorial Chapel and the Halltown African American Free School!”

A variety of painted primitives will be on sale in Evolve next weekend. Courtesy photo