Prospect A.M.E. Church Listed in National Register of Historic Places

Image of Prospect A.M.E. Church, a small building with white siding, brick foundations, and a red door.

After several years of research compiled by Reverend Janet Maull-Martin and members of the congregation, Georgetown’s Prospect A.M.E. Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 23, 2023.

Originally constructed in 1866, Prospect A.M.E. Church is significant in local Delaware history as a focal point in Georgetown’s African American community, fulfilling the community’s religious and social needs. For over 150 years, the church has served as a center of community for residents of Georgetown, as evidenced by newspapers from the early 20^th century which documented social activities hosted by the church and attended by members of the local public. The building has been expanded over the years to accommodate the needs of religious services and social functions, as documented on the building’s façade with cornerstones bearing the year of each renovation and the name of the pastor leading the church at the time of its completion.

Image of cornerstones on facade of Prospect A.M.E. Church dating renovations made to the building, reading as follows:

Prospect A.M.E. Church 1866. 1907.
Remodeled September 1956, M.E. Harmon, Pastor
Remodeled 1973, J.W. Smith, Pastor — *Cornerstones dating renovations made to Prospect A.M.E. Church*

Prospect A.M.E. Church serves as a place of worship for residents of Georgetown and its surrounding communities, with much of the research for its nomination conducted by members of its congregation. Reverend Janet Maull-Martin and congregation members worked with Dr. Heidi Nasstrom-Evans, a senior executive at Horizon Philanthropic Services, to draft the church’s nomination for the National Register. Madeline Dunn and Emily Whaley of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) helped Dr. Nasstrom-Evans and the congregation to edit the nomination, the full document for which can be found on HCA’s website.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation administered by the National Park Service. Listing in the National Register of Historic Places is an honorary yet formal recognition of a property’s historical, architectural, or archaeological significance. Benefits of listing include eligibility for Delaware’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program, and consideration in the Section 106 reviews of federally-assisted projects (see www.achp.gov). To be eligible for listing in the National Register, a property must meet certain age, significance, and integrity criteria outlined by the National Park Service.

To list a property in the National Register of Historic Places, a property owner should first contact the National Register Coordinator in the Delaware State Historic Preservation Office, within the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA). The National Register Coordinator will provide guidance and direction throughout the nomination process. Once a full draft nomination is prepared, the nomination is forwarded to the State Review Board for Historic Preservation for review. The State Review Board serves as an advisory body to the State Historic Preservation Officer and typically meets three times a year to consider nominations.

For more information on National Historic Register nominations, contact Emily Whaley with the Delaware State Historic Preservation Office: emily.whaley@delaware.gov or 302-736-7400.