Summary
Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a church in Terre Haute, Indiana.
| Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church | |
|---|---|
 Southern side of the church | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | African Methodist Episcopal Church |
| Location | |
| Location | 218 Crawford St., Terre Haute, Indiana  United States |
| State | Indiana |
  Shown within Vigo County, Indiana  Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Terre Haute, Indiana) (Indiana)  Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Terre Haute, Indiana) (the United States) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 39°27′35″N 87°24′51″W / 39.459722°N 87.414167°W |
| Architecture | |
| Type | church (building) |
| Completed | 1913 |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | September 5, 1975 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 03000986 [1] |
The church is named for Richard Allen, who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia in 1787. The congregation in Terre Haute began meeting in 1837 in a small white church in town. This original structure had a tunnel beneath it that led to bank of the Wabash River for escaped slaves going toward Canada on the Underground Railroad. Many of the congregation's early members were freed slaves who had been brought to the area by Quakers.[2]
In the mid-19th century, Frederick Douglass went to Terre Haute on two occasions to raise funds for the congregation. Other eminent speakers have included Eugene V. Debs and Jackie Robinson.
The current structure was built in 1913, and is a yellow brick and stone church with a prominent corner tower. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 for its significance in religion, social history, and African American history.[1][3]
References edit
- ^ a b "Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2010-05-13. Archived from the original on 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
- ^ Pastore, Patricia L. "Allen Chapel: Congregation, church have helped shape Wabash Valley history". Tribune-Star. Terre Haute, Indiana. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2010.
- ^ "Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD)" (Searchable database). Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Retrieved 2016-07-01. Note: This includes Audrey Acton Graham (July 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-07-01.