Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Terre Haute, Indiana)

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Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Allen Chapel AME in Terre Haute.jpg
Southern side of the church
Religion
Affiliation African Methodist Episcopal Church
Location
Location218 Crawford St., Terre Haute, Indiana
United States
State Indiana
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Shown within Vigo County, Indiana
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Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Terre Haute, Indiana) (Indiana)
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Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Terre Haute, Indiana) (the United States)
Geographic coordinates 39°27′35″N87°24′51″W / 39.459722°N 87.414167°W / 39.459722; -87.414167
Architecture
Type church (building)
Completed1913
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Added to NRHP September 5, 1975
NRHP Reference no.03000986 [1]

Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a church in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.

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

  1. 1 2 "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.
  2. 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.
  3. "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.