St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church, Leeland

St. Barnabas Church, also known as St. Barnabas' Episcopal Church, Leeland, was built in Leeland, Maryland and was established in 1704 as the parish church of Queen Anne Parish which had been established that same year. Because of its location in one of the richest tobacco-producing regions in Colonial Maryland, the small church has been a cultural hub for southern Maryland from early colonial times, through the American Revolution, Civil War, and Reconstruction. The church holds some highly significant art and was the scene of a fiery anti-revolutionary showdown that was close to erupting in violence.HistoryOn December 19, 1704, St. Paul’s Parish, one of the 30 original parishes of the established Anglican Church in the Province of Maryland, was divided by the Maryland General Assembly and the northern part became Queen Anne Parish, while the southern part remained St. Paul's.The original St. Paul's Parish had contained a small log chapel, in its northeast sections, on 2acre of land owned by John and Mary Duvall. With this act, the chapel became a full-fledged congregation to meet the needs of the growing population in the area, creating the first St. Barnabas church.