Check out the people of St. Jacob’s, and their neighbors in the Pleasant Valley community, working together to help preserve and restore the historic Dungeon’s Chapel Cemetery. Dungeon’s Chapel, also known as Pleasant Valley United Brethren in Christ, was one of the the original African-American churches founded in Rockingham County in the years following the Civil War. In the 1930s, many of the members moved to Harrisonburg or elsewhere during the Great Depression and the church ceased active worship. Many different people, including descendants of the original members, have kept up the grounds during the years. Recently, however, the old church/school building fell down in a storm and the grounds became overgrown. So it’s time for God’s work with our hands!
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- Smiles after some hard work!
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- What’s left of the chapel, which was also a school.
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- Mostly cleared out by mid-October!
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- Looking good
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- Al Jenkins, one of the preservers of Long’s Chapel, helping us here at Dungeon’s Chapel.
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- Clearing the fence
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- That’s the Spirit!
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- This was how things looked in early September
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- We had our work cut out for us…
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- Hard work all around
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- Some of us were smart enough to wear coveralls…
