The Montgomery County Planning Department is encouraged to see the addition of Morningstar Moses Cemetery and Hall to the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places” list, as this will focus attention on this important site. This historic post-emancipation settlement of the Gibson Grove community in the Cabin John area of Montgomery County endured a systemic act of inequity and disregard in the mid-1960s. During this time, the Capital Beltway bisected their community by separating the church from the cemetery and fellowship hall. Today, this historic site is threatened once again by the expansion of the Capital Beltway. Now, with the current plans for the expansion of the Capital Beltway with the Managed Lanes Study, there is an opportunity at the outset of this expansion to consider design enhancements to revisit the previous impacts and save this historic resource. We will continue to work closely with the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration to support their work towards achieving environmental justice for this community.
View the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s press release.