Dunker Church was built by the people of Sharpsburg on land donated by the Mumma family. The simple one-room building was divided into two sections, one for the women and one for the men. The name reflected the baptism ritual in which the faithful were fully submerged (i. e. "dunked") in the water. Although this building is a reconstruction of the original (which collapsed in a wind storm) it is made with much of the original bricks and stone. In the midst of the battle the little church remained steadfastly situated across from the Mumma's cornfield, weeping as she watched brother fight brother and so many lives lost that day. Though pock-marked post battle and with blood soaking into her grounds, she opened her doors to the wounded and served as a hospital in the days following one of the Civil War's bloodiest battles. The church is now part of the Antietam National Park but when I looked in the windows it seemed she might still be used now and then, but I'm not sure in what capacity.
I am continuing to process my photos from Antietam in black and white in order to make them look like they came from the Civil War era.
Thank you Taffy, Allison, Dixie, Katy, Babs, Paul, Lynn, Wendy, Nicole and Kathy for your views and comments. I truly appreciate each and every one.