Area south of the intersection of South Church Street (Rt 616) and Josephine Street
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Last updated August 20, 2024
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The Josephine City area includes three sites:
- 8A: Zion Baptist Church at 10 Josephine Street
- 8B: Milton Valley Cemetery at 315 Josephine Street
- 8C. Lucy Diggs Slowe Historical Marker at 315 Josephine Street
Directions from Clarke County Courthouse to Site 8:
- Continue along Josephine Stuntil you reach the cul-de-sac at the end
- Head south on Church St for 0.5 mile
- Turn left onto Josephine St
- This begins Josephine City
An October 1870 article, “New Settlement,” in the Clarke Courier described Josephine City:
“About 31 acres of land belonging to the estate of Major Edward McCormick, dec’d, adjoining the toll gate on the Millwood and Berryville turnpike, was put up for public sale a few weeks ago, and ‘knocked off’ to Robert Hall, (colored) at $100.01 per acre. Robert represents some thirty-three colored families, as he informs us…”
The Josephine City Historic District encompasses 40 acres of land on the southeastern edge of Berryville. Formerly enslaved African Americans built a community between the 1880s and 1960s that included single-family homes, a church, a parish hall, a cemetery, and three former school buildings. Josephine City was established in 1870 when a group of African Americans purchased 31 acres from the McCormick estate. The land was not within the Berryville Town limits, and the area was annexed into the town in 1989. Lots were formed, about one acre in size, on each side of Josephine Street, with 16 on the south side and 15 on the north side. A woman named Josephine Williams is recorded as owning Lots 1 and 2 on the north side of the street in 1870. It is generally assumed the community was named after her, although it is unclear why. Regardless, Josephine City is the only settlement in the county named after a woman. Today, the historic district incorporates 49 properties. Over the years, some dwellings were abandoned or demolished. Over its evolution of 140 years, Josephine City retains landmark integrity and is Clarke County’s most extensive collection of buildings relating to African American History. The Josephine City Historic District was added to the National Historic Register in 2015.
The Zion Baptist Church was constructed in 1882 as the Benjamin Franklin Annex to serve as a church sanctuary and then converted to a parish hall. The church frame was constructed in 1908 and brick veneered in 1987. Zion Baptist Church remains the only 19th-century church in Josephine City and is still active in the community.
The Milton Valley Cemetery was established in 1874 on three acres purchased by trustees from the E.G. Hebb family on land less than a mile from the Milton Valley estate. One of several African American cemeteries in Clarke County, Milton Valley, contains the remains of a Civil War soldier, soldiers who served in the Spanish-American War, and many who died enslaved and were buried without identification. The earliest burial is of Mary Slowe, dated 1874. Notable persons buried in the cemetery are Thomas Laws, an enslaved man who acted as a spy for Union General Sheridan, and Rev. Edward T. Johnson and Mr. Raymond Ratcliffe, former principals of Johnson-Williams High School. Other notable graves include:
Lucy Diggs Slowe was born on July 4, 1885 in Berryville. She is one of seven children. Slowe grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, with her siblings and aunt. Slowe was the first female graduate of the Baltimore Colored School in 1904. She received a sponsored scholarship to Howard University. Slowe. At Howard in 1908, Slowe co-founded the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first sorority for African American women. Slowe graduated Valedictorian from Howard and went on to become a teacher. In 1911, she attended graduate school at Columbia University. Slowe became the first African American woman to win a national title at the American Tennis Association national tournament and won 16 more titles playing tennis. In 1919, Slowe became the first Black Junior High School principal in Washington, DC. Slowe later became the Dean of Women at Howard University in 1922. Slowe advocated for African American women on campus str, strived to empower and serve the interest of women students, and sought equity for herself in the workspace. In 1935, Slowe helped organize the National Council of Negro Women and became its secretary. She helped found the National Association of College Women and became its first president. She also worked with the progressive Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom organization. Lucy Diggs Slowe passed in 1937. Lucy Diggs Slowe historical marker was erected in 2017.
“About 31 acres of land belonging to the estate of Major Edward McCormick, dec’d, adjoining the toll gate on the Millwood and Berryville turnpike, was put up for public sale a few weeks ago, and ‘knocked off’ to Robert Hall, (colored) at $100.01 per acre. Robert represents some thirty-three colored families, as he informs us…”
The Josephine City Historic District encompasses 40 acres of land on the southeastern edge of Berryville. Formerly enslaved African Americans built a community between the 1880s and 1960s that included single-family homes, a church, a parish hall, a cemetery, and three former school buildings. Josephine City was established in 1870 when a group of African Americans purchased 31 acres from the McCormick estate. The land was not within the Berryville Town limits, and the area was annexed into the town in 1989. Lots were formed, about one acre in size, on each side of Josephine Street, with 16 on the south side and 15 on the north side. A woman named Josephine Williams is recorded as owning Lots 1 and 2 on the north side of the street in 1870. It is generally assumed the community was named after her, although it is unclear why. Regardless, Josephine City is the only settlement in the county named after a woman. Today, the historic district incorporates 49 properties. Over the years, some dwellings were abandoned or demolished. Over its evolution of 140 years, Josephine City retains landmark integrity and is Clarke County’s most extensive collection of buildings relating to African American History. The Josephine City Historic District was added to the National Historic Register in 2015.
The Zion Baptist Church was constructed in 1882 as the Benjamin Franklin Annex to serve as a church sanctuary and then converted to a parish hall. The church frame was constructed in 1908 and brick veneered in 1987. Zion Baptist Church remains the only 19th-century church in Josephine City and is still active in the community.
The Milton Valley Cemetery was established in 1874 on three acres purchased by trustees from the E.G. Hebb family on land less than a mile from the Milton Valley estate. One of several African American cemeteries in Clarke County, Milton Valley, contains the remains of a Civil War soldier, soldiers who served in the Spanish-American War, and many who died enslaved and were buried without identification. The earliest burial is of Mary Slowe, dated 1874. Notable persons buried in the cemetery are Thomas Laws, an enslaved man who acted as a spy for Union General Sheridan, and Rev. Edward T. Johnson and Mr. Raymond Ratcliffe, former principals of Johnson-Williams High School. Other notable graves include:
- John Snowden: Civil War soldier
- Andrew Young: Spanish War soldier
- Edward and Frances Cross: Buffalo Soldiers
- Paul Jones: former principal of Cooley Elem. School
- George Lightfoot: first principal of Josephine City School
Lucy Diggs Slowe was born on July 4, 1885 in Berryville. She is one of seven children. Slowe grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, with her siblings and aunt. Slowe was the first female graduate of the Baltimore Colored School in 1904. She received a sponsored scholarship to Howard University. Slowe. At Howard in 1908, Slowe co-founded the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the first sorority for African American women. Slowe graduated Valedictorian from Howard and went on to become a teacher. In 1911, she attended graduate school at Columbia University. Slowe became the first African American woman to win a national title at the American Tennis Association national tournament and won 16 more titles playing tennis. In 1919, Slowe became the first Black Junior High School principal in Washington, DC. Slowe later became the Dean of Women at Howard University in 1922. Slowe advocated for African American women on campus str, strived to empower and serve the interest of women students, and sought equity for herself in the workspace. In 1935, Slowe helped organize the National Council of Negro Women and became its secretary. She helped found the National Association of College Women and became its first president. She also worked with the progressive Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom organization. Lucy Diggs Slowe passed in 1937. Lucy Diggs Slowe historical marker was erected in 2017.
