Music Resource Center

Tao, Miles, Kelsey, Karlis, Lillian

Ridge Street

History

The Mount Zion Baptist Church was constructed in 1864. In 1884 it was used as a black church, inhabited by those who originally worshipped in the County Court. It resides on Ridge St., which mostly consisted of wealthy merchant families. It was one of the first desegregated areas, despite still being split by black people living further down the ridge that gave the street its name than white people. The name of the church reflects the hill that the Jews called home while enslaved. In 1942 the government seized the church in order to make way for more roads, and the people there were forced to find another place to worship.

Usage Today

The building today has changed from what it once was- its bell has been gone for a few years, the baptismal pool standing at the head of the room now supports a drum set, and the guitar pick logo of the MRC looks over the room with the painting of Jesus. It has been repurposed as the Music Resource Center, a place made to provide teenagers who cannot afford the equipment a place to delve into music. It was founded in 1992 by John Hornsby and a collection of local musicians. The Dave Matthews band practiced there, and in 2004 assisted in helping them move into the Mount Zion Church. The band now has a place in the MRC Advisory Council.

Architecture

Mount Zion Church adopted the architectural style found in most of the Ridge St. buildings, the Victorian vernacular style, in which the housing was relatively simple yet was adorned with decorative trim. This is also called a Queen Anne’s house. It was designed by George Wallace Spooner. Spooner participated in the rebuilding of the Rotunda at the University of Virginia following its fire. Having to fare while the microphone was not yet invented, the church was built in such a way that the pastor’s voice was amplified.