JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. -- If only these historic walls and grounds at today's Chapel Two could talk they would tell you what has changed over the course of the past 205 years.
On this site in 1805, cottage meetings were held here by citizens of the nearby town of Old Fields, now known as Forestville, Md.
In those days families lived so far apart from each other that they used to worship in family homes. Soon, churches began in small towns or at crossroads.
So was born Old Fields Methodist Episcopal Church, now known as Chapel Two on the East side of the base - on land that was used extensively for tobacco farming.
According to chapel lore, meticulously compiled by the Committee for Historical Chapel Two in 1998, by 1816, circuit-rider preachers would make a six-week, 600-mile trip down the Potomac side of southern Maryland - from present-day Oxon Hill to Port Tobacco, Leonardtown and down to St. Mary's and Point Lookout - and back up the Patuxent side of the state back up toward Upper Marlboro to provide services.
Today, the church grounds sit on the base's land, but interestingly, there has always been a military link to the old chapel at that site.
The chapel stood through the August 1814 Burning of Washington during the War of 1812 when British troops marched from the Piscataway River across what is now Andrews to Washington, where they burned a number of public and government buildings.
In 1854, today's Chapel Two was built and became known as Forest Grove Methodist Episcopal South when the church broke away from slave-owning parishioners separated from the church at Old Fields.
Later, during the Civil War, Union soldiers used the base's historic chapel as a headquarters' command post and a Union Army respite.
It is said that the ghost of a Confederate spy haunts the chapel grounds. As the story goes, the spy stopped outside the historic chapel as he tried to ride past the landmark grounds. When he saw he was going to be captured, he threw his papers into the brush that surrounds the chapel and can still be seen from time to time looking for the papers among the tombstones and trees.
In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a letter giving the go ahead to secure nearly 5,000 acres of Prince George's county land for an airfield. The federal government purchased the cemetery and church when Camp Springs Army Air Corps Base expanded in 1943. At that time, the Forest Grove Church and grounds were appraised for a total of $17,000, including $3,000 for the land, $1,500 for parsonage and $12,500 for the building.
The church was renamed Andrews Army Air Field Chapel in 1947 and renamed "Chapel Two" in 1957 after Chapel One was erected on the west side of the base.
"There's a lot of history associated with this church," said Chaplain (Capt.) Jack Stanley. "It's an honor to be a part of its rich legacy. The 316th Chaplaincy has been hard at work getting the arrangements ready for the upcoming anniversary unity service."
One chapel mainstay, Maxine Clark, wife of Lt. Col. (ret.) William Clark, has been at Chapel Two since 1961 and is the longest-attending member in the Chapel Two congregation.
"I'm so looking forward to seeing my old friends at the chapel anniversary and making new ones too," she said.
"I have so many memories at this chapel. For 48 years I have been coming here - I have rarely missed a Sunday in all those years," Ms. Clark said.
John Deshetler, 316th Wing History Office historian, said the chapel's presence on the base is significant.
"Chapel Two represents a part of the historic community that existed here before the acquisition of the land that was to become Andrews," he said. "What I find of great interest, as a base historian, is that a piece of history, specifically from the 19th century, is carefully preserved here."
Mr. Deshetler added that many on base may be surprised to know that the historic chapel was the site of an event in aviation history.
"Funeral services for the nation's first military aviator, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois, were held at Chapel Two on Apr. 27, 1967," he said.
In 1916, General Foulois provided the first-of-its-kind air support for General John "Black Jack" Pershing's "Punitive Expedition" in search of Pancho Villa in Columbus, N.M.
Historic Chapel Two 155th Anniversary coordinator Col. (ret.) Kathy Patterson said, "The anniversary is really a time of reunion and for friends from yesterday and today to come together and share stories and memories - it's really going to be a wonderful time for everyone."
The 155th anniversary will be celebrated Sunday in Chapel Two at 3715 Fetchet Ave. Service begins at 9:30 a.m. with Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Cecil Richardson, Air Force Chief of Chaplains, delivering the sermon.
A memory table will be available to display pictures, programs and other memorabilia that documents the chapel's history for all to enjoy. Congregants are reminded to label memorabilia which will be returned at the end of the program.
For more information, contact Colonel Patterson at 301-292-8029.