Long’s Chapel at Zenda Historic Preservation

Harrisonburg, Virginia

Long’s Chapel is notable for its use as a schoolhouse and place of worship for the newly freed slave community north of Harrisonburg, Virginia. The chapel was built in 1870 by the United Brethren Church so that community members would have a place to congregate. When Al and Robert Jenkins purchased the property, the chapel had severely deteriorated. The graves in the cemetery were obscured by decades of wild vegetation. No parking was available to visitors of the chapel. In fact, no signage was present to allow passerby to determine the significance of the site.

Lineage offered pro bono services to help determine what parts of the building could be saved, and which parts required replacement. The stone piers holding the chapel up were deteriorating, and required immediate attention. Lineage designed pier footings and column details that were historically appropriate from an aesthetic sense, but met the requirements of the current buildign code for strength. State funds were obtained to fund the project and Lineage coordinated establishing budgets, communicating immediate needs, and translating the long term vision for an eventual full time museum and heritage site. Because the chapel is located within a VDOT right of way, the project required a special use permit and approval from the county supervisors. Our team facilitated all parts of the process, and received immediate unanimous approval for the project.

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