First Parish Church - Portland, ME
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 43° 39.504 W 070° 15.481
19T E 398562 N 4834702
Abolitionist, State Constitution, religion and politics all found a home in this building.
Waymark Code: WM56N4
Location: Maine, United States
Date Posted: 11/19/2008
Views: 19
Historic Markers on site, Text:
A memorial plaque inside First Parish honors Prentiss Mellen. Pews within the church are marked for the abolitionist Fessenden and Thomas families.
In 1832 abolitionist William Loyd-Garrison spoke here to 2,000 people on his first Maine anti-slavery tour. In 1842 First Parish was the site of a pro-slavery riot when radical abolitionist, Stephen Symonds Foster, was nearly murdered for criticizing the churches' and New England's role in promoting, perpetuating and profiting from slavery. Women helped to defend him.
ON THIS SITE
within the walls
of
The First Parish
Meeting House
The Constitution of
The State of Maine
was drafted.
October 12-29, 1819Welcome to the First parish Memorial
Garden
To those who come here, we ask not your name, only that you may be blessed by the secret virtues of the garden.[For hours of operation and hours visitors can enter, please refer to the church web site. The hours vary and depend upon your particular request or need. Phone numbers and persons of interest are also provided.]