Meetinghouse with a capital “M”
The story of the Abyssinian Meetinghouse and Leonard Cummings, its long-time board president, was on the cover of the Maine/New England section of the Maine Sunday Telegram today. The Abyssinian is the third oldest African American Meetinghouse and is located across the street from the Shipyard Brewery in Portland. Frederick Douglass trod its very floorboards. PTF worked to restore the trusses and front facade, repair the timber frame and sills, and level the floor, along with documentation and sensitive demolition. It’s an important article; please read it along with the rest of Press Herald’s coverage of the Portland protests and the persistent racial disparities in Maine.
Tag Teaming Timber in 2012
The article describes just some of the work that is included in the remaining $1 million in their budget, and although PTF is no longer involved in the restoration (the photo above is from 2012), we cannot stress more strongly our support for this project. This building is one of the most important buildings in all of Maine. The price tag is completely in keeping with a museum-grade restoration of a building of this significance. It is the last remaining building on Portland’s Underground Railroad Trail, and should some day be visited by all Greater Portland public school students. Please consider donating, here.
You can read more about our (now completed) role in restoring the Abyssinian in these blog posts.
PTF is still working and distancing during the pandemic. The solitary time has given us time to catch up on some favorite history podcasts. Consider the following required listening:
Intercepted with Chenjerai Kumanyika and Ruth Wilson Gilmore
Come Along Little Loggies
