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Restored after the Revolution, Old South Meeting House remained an
active church until 1872. Despite its growing status as an historical
landmark, the very survival of the building was threatened more than
once in the 1870’s. The first threat came from fire, when almost all of
downtown Boston was destroyed in a huge three-day blaze in November of
1872 known as The Great Boston Fire. Old South almost burned
down; buildings across the street from it were lost.
Even before the fire, Old South’s congregation had considered leaving
their venerable building. The center of population in Boston was moving
west, and many congregations had already left the crowded downtown area.
Old South’s congregation decided to build a new church in the
newly-created Copley Square. The Old South Meeting House was put on the
auction block and a local newspaper advertised the sale:
All the materials above the level of the sidewalks except the
Corner Stone and the Clock in the Tower, of this ancient and
historical landmark building, which has now come under the
auctioneer’s hammer, and will be disposed of on Thursday, June 8,
1876, at 12 o’clock noon on the premises, on the corner of
Washington and Milk Streets. The spire is covered with copper, and
there is a lot of lead on roof and belfry, and the roof is covered
with imported Welch slate. 60 days will be allowed for the removal.
Terms cash.
The building was auctioned off for the paltry sum of $1,350 for the
value of its materials. The valuable downtown lot was then freed for
sale or lease. The threat of demolition galvanized a determined group of
“twenty women of Boston” to raise funds to save the building from the
wrecker’s ball. They enlisted the help of famous Bostonians, including
Ralph Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Louisa May Alcott to rally
people to help. Rousing speeches by abolitionist Wendell Phillips
(leaflet # ) moved audiences to pledge funds needed to save this
historic landmark. Their combined efforts raised over $400,000 – an
enormous sum in the 1870’s – to purchase the building and its land. It
was the first time that a public building in the United States was saved
because of its association with nationally important historical events.
The Old South Meeting House was saved as a museum and was open to the
public in 1877 by the Old South Association. As part of its mission to
foster democratic values, Old South launched an ambitious educational
program in American history and citizenship and began to publish
documents from American history as “Old South Leaflets”. A wide range of
events, including “Children’s Hour” “Young People’s Lectures and essay
contests reached out to students of all ages.
At a time when hundreds of thousands of immigrants were arriving each
year, Old South’s lively mix of citizenship lectures, projects and
events gained much renown. Programs modeled on the Old South Work spread
to other cities with sizable immigrant communities.
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