Colora Meetinghouse, Quaker meeting house in Colora, Maryland, US
Colora Meetinghouse is a Quaker meeting house in Maryland with thick stuccoed fieldstone walls and a slate roof. Separate entrances for men and women lead into an interior divided by a sliding wall, creating distinct spaces for worship and business meetings.
Built in 1841, this meetinghouse was established during a significant split within the Quaker movement that separated Orthodox from Progressive groups. Originally known as Nottingham Preparative Meeting, it became affiliated with Western Quarterly Meeting and continued as a center for worship.
The building embodies Quaker traditions through its physical design and layout. The sliding divider inside shows how men and women occupied separate spaces during gatherings and business discussions.
Access is limited, but the building opens once yearly for worship services at 2:00 PM on the third Sunday of September. Visitors should plan ahead since openings are rare and checking ahead for current access information is advisable before the visit.
The property includes a cemetery and a two-story schoolhouse from 1869 that once served as an educational space for the Quaker community. The school building fell into disuse when public education expanded in the region and made independent school facilities unnecessary.
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