It was recently announced that the Abyssinian Meeting House at 73-75 Newbury Street on Munjoy Hill has been awarded $250,000. for the reconstruction of the balcony and stairs inside the historic building.  It is one of fourteen historic community buildings across the state to receive funding – a grand total of $2.14 million dollars for all of them according to an announcement from the Maine HIstoric Preservation Commission.

The Abyssinian is the Black Church whose construction was begun in 1828 and not completed until 1831 by freed Black members of the east end community who knew they were not welcime in other churches in the area.  It is the oldest African-American church in Portland and the third oldest in the nation.

In 2022, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D) announced that she had secured $1.7 billion from HUD to complete the ongoing restoration of the building.  However, due to understaffing, the approval from HUD did come through until October of 2023.

Incredibly, the historic building survived the great fire of 1866 when not much else in the area did.  Credit for that survival is given to Reuben Ruby who founded the church.  According to historical records, Ruby stood on the roof of the building covering it with wet blankets until he was able to contain the fire.  A large section of the back wall remained badly charred by the fire for many years, although this blogger does not know if it remains today.

For years, it has been the goal of the church board to use this building as  a center of the community much as it was originally.  It could serve as a lecture hall, art museum and even a place from which bottled water could be sold. That’s because on the ground floor a spring runs under the floor of the building.  The dampness from the spring is the reason that the original wooden floor rotted out and had to be removed.  The rest of the floor is made of concrete and has withstood the dampnes from the spring.

Two other Portland non-profits were the recipients of similar funds.  They are:  Victoria Mansion for chimney reconstruction and the Maine Historical Society.

For background information on the project, please visit post herein dated May 21, 2009.