Item of Interest: Mount Olivet

In 1850, two residents of the Waycroft-Woodlawn area, William Marcey and John Brown, had a dispute over a section of land located at the intersection of Glebe and Brown's Bend Roads (now 16th Street). In the end, both parties gave up their claims and donated the land for a church to be built upon. Mt. Olivet Methodist Church was built there over a period of 5 years (1855-1860). During the Civil War Waycroft-Woodlawn, like the rest of Arlington county, was occupied by Union troops. They initially used it as a hospital following the First Battle of Manassas or the Battle of Bull Run. However, in the following winters to come (1861-63), the building was damaged and used for firewood by Union soldiers.

There is no concrete evidence of why the church was called Mount Olivet, but there are two theories. The first is that the minister of Mount Olivet, Oliver Cox, selected this name from the biblical text of Matthew 28 verses 16 - 20. In these verses the location where Jesus spoke to the disciples is described. "It was on Mount Olivet that he proclaimed the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." (quote from Mount Olivet United Methodists Church website) The second theory is that the church was simply named after the minister. Oliver and Olivet have only one letter difference, but I think it is more likely that the name comes from Mathew 28.

Eventually the church would be repaired/rebuilt. A small meetinghouse and parsonage were constructed by 1870. They were remodeled in 1875 but would last until 1894 when a new, larger church was built. In 1920 an education wing was added to the south side of the church. South is the side facing Ballston, located on 15th street. Additionally, the bell tower and vestibule were relocated and the exterior of the church was covered in stucco. As the population in the area increased in the 1930's and 40's it was clear a larger meeting space was needed. Construction of the fourth church began in 1948 and was complete by the next year. Since then the church has been expanded to include two floors, fellowship hall, sanctuary, classrooms, and in 1997 an elevator.

For more information check out the Mount Olivet United Methodist Church website:

http://www.mtolivet-umc.org/history

This website was used for much of the above information.

The folder in Arlington Central Library's Virginia Room on Mount Olivet contained a 20+ page booklet created by the church in 2005 to commemorate their 150th anniversary that was also fairly informative.