Shiloh Baptist Church Alexandria

Shiloh Baptist Church, located at 1401 Duke Street in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, is a predominantly Black Baptist Church with a rich history dating back to the Civil War era. The historic building, dedicated in 1893, boasted impressive features such as a grand bell tower, eight stained glass windows, modern circular oak pews, and a large reflector with glass prisms. While this historic structure now serves as a youth center, the church has expanded its presence with a spacious new sanctuary across Duke Street.

Shiloh Baptist Church is one of ten Black churches established in Alexandria following the Civil War, playing a crucial role in supporting freed Black Americans as they built new communities and associations. The church’s roots can be traced back to 1863 when a group of approximately 50 African Americans gathered in the mess hall on the grounds of L’Ouverture Hospital. This hospital served as a refuge for wounded Black Union soldiers and contraband civilians during the Civil War, providing a safe haven and a place for the community to come together and establish what would become Shiloh Baptist Church.