Location Details
- 209W. Main Street(MD 34)SharpsburgMD 21782
- (301) 432-7089
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Sharpsburg was badly damaged during the Battle of Antietam, and was used as a hospital by both the Confederate and Union armies.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Sharpsburg was organized in 1818. The cornerstone of the two-story stone, stuccoed, building was laid onMay 31, 1819. During the September 17, 1862 Battle of Antietam the church was badly damaged and was subsequently abandoned as a place of worship. On the day of the battle and the day following, the Confederates used the church as a hospital. Most of the furnishings were removed to make room for beds. Some of those who died were buried in the church’s cemetery, although their remains were later removed to the Washington Cemetery in Hagerstown, Maryland. After the Confederates retreated, the Union army used the church as a hospital as well.
Following the war, the church raised funds to rebuild. The second cornerstone was laid onOctober 30, 1871, and using the original stone and bell, the new church was completed in 1874. Improvements to the structure were made in 1965 and 2000.
For Additional information
- Vernell Doyle and Tim Doyle, Sharpsburg, Images ofAmerica Series, 2009.
