Today I visited the area near Brown’s Chapel in Reston.  The history of Brown’s Chapel goes back to 1874, when a half-acre of land was deeded by Augustus and Sarah Brown to the Methodist Episcopal Church.  The church was then built in 1879.

There was a congregation associated the church up until 1967.

Front View of Brown’s Chapel

Brown’s Chapel is a one-story building which is 28 feet wide, 36 feet long, and 32 feet high.  The window sills were made tree trunks.  The frame and clapboard building is in the Greek Revival architectural style.

Large Tree Near Brown’s Chapel Outside of Brown’s Chapel

Back in 1968, when they widened Route 7, Brown’s Chapel was scheduled to be demolished.

However, In May of 1968, the Gulf-Reston Corporation moved Brown’s Chapel one and a half miles to its current location on Baron Cameron across the street from Lake Anne, thus, saving a piece of Reston history.

In some places, the chapel was wider than the road so power and telephone lines were moved to accommodate the chapel.  Brown’s Chapel was said to weight 70 tons.

Large Windows in Brown’s Chapel Double Front Doors of Brown’s Chapel

Today, Brown’s Chapel is part of Reston Association parks and they hold day camps there.  It is, also, rented out as a community hall and wedding chapel.

The cemetery which was part of the original church yard, is still located at Baron Cameron and Route 7.  There are 200 graves there with some unmarked graves.  People were buried in that grave yard as late as the 1980’s.

I actually spent quite a bit of time in Brown’s Chapel with my then toddler son who was enrolled there in music appreciation classes.

I remember one time the children had to take a hula hoop and place it on the floor for a make believe bear’s den.

Then all the little children had to act like bears and go into their “den” and hibernate.

No way ever was my child going to do this.  I was totally shocked when the entire class of “cubs” went into their dens and hibernated including my “never wants to take a nap” child.

Although, the chapel’s doors are always locked and the windows are up too high to look in, the wooded area location and nearby walking trails make it a nice place to visit.

Side View of Brown’s Chapel Fall Leaves Near Brown’s Chapel

Brown’s Chapel’s wooded location, makes it a great place to visit.

Long View of Brown’s Chapel