Friends Meetinghouse (Wilmington, Delaware) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Friends Meetinghouse
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 Location in Delaware
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4th and West Sts., Wilmington, Delaware |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1817 |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000577 |
| Added to NRHP | November 07, 1976 |
The Friends Meetinghouse is a special historic building in Wilmington, Delaware. It's a place where Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, meet for worship. This meetinghouse is still used today by about 400 Quakers. It's part of a larger group called the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. The building was finished between 1815 and 1817. It became a nationally recognized historic place in 1976.
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History of the Meetinghouse
The first Quaker meeting in Delaware happened in 1672. It was in New Castle when George Fox, a founder of Quakerism, visited. Later, William Penn helped set up regular Quaker meetings. These started in towns like Newark and Centre.
Wilmington didn't have its own regular meeting until 1735. That year, William and Elizabeth Shipley built a brick house. It was used for worship and became an official "Preparative Meeting" in 1738. In 1750, the Quakers in Wilmington were allowed to form a "Monthly Meeting." This meant they could make more of their own decisions.
Building the Meetinghouses
The very first building used as a meetinghouse was built in 1738. It was across the street from where the current building stands. This first meetinghouse was about 25 feet (7.6 meters) square.
A second, larger meetinghouse was built in 1748. This one was on the same spot as today's building. It was big enough to hold 500 people. The current building opened on September 25, 1817. It is said to be able to hold 700 people.
A School for Quaker Children
A school was started here in 1748. It was in the first meetinghouse built in 1738. This school grew over time and is now known as the Wilmington Friends School. In 1937, the school moved from Quaker Hill to another part of Wilmington.
Important People Buried Here
Many important people are buried in the graveyard next to the meetinghouse. One is John Dickinson, who was called the "penman of the Revolution." He helped write important documents during the American Revolution.
Another famous person buried here is Thomas Garrett. He was an abolitionist, meaning he worked to end slavery. Garrett was a member of this Quaker meeting. He lived nearby on Quaker Hill.
Thomas Garrett and the Underground Railroad
Thomas Garrett was a well-known "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. Garrett worked closely with Harriet Tubman. It is believed he helped about 2,700 enslaved people find freedom.
About 1,500 people came to his funeral at the meetinghouse in January 1871. Lucretia Mott, another famous abolitionist and women's rights activist, spoke at his funeral.
