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Abyssinian Church
Abyssinian Church: Safe Haven for All
by Caitlin, Tyler K, and MargaretThe Abyssinian Church was built at 73-75 Newbury Street in 1828, in Portland, Maine. It is the oldest African American meeting house in Maine, and the third oldest in the United States. It was one of the few buildings to survive the fire of 1866. From 1829 through 1857, it was a schoolhouse for African American children. At the time, it was the only place in Portland that schooled African Americans. What many people did not know was that it was an important “safe haven” on the Underground Railroad, and helped many slaves escape to the North. The Abyssinian Church ended up closing in 1917, and it is now undergoing restoration.
The Abyssinian Church should be part of Portland’s freedom trail because of the many freedoms it provided. Without it, the African American children in Portland would have had no opportunity to go to school. Slaves escaping to a new life found refuge here and, today, Portland continues to be a ‘safe haven’ to various people seeking a new life.
