History of Albanians in Maine facts for kids
In the early 1900s, many people from countries like Albania and Turkey traveled to the United States. They came to work in the busy textile mills of Southern Maine. These mills needed skilled weavers to create new fabric patterns for American customers.
Many of these new workers, mostly men, arrived in Maine with little money. They often lived right at the mill factories and did not travel far from their workplaces. One important place for these early immigrants was the Pepperell Counting House in Biddeford, Maine. People believe this factory building might have served as a mosque, a place of worship for Muslims, around 1900. By 1915, a large enough group of Muslim men may have gathered there to form an early mosque. However, a terrible sickness called the Spanish Flu spread through the area in 1918. It sadly took the lives of many people, including many Muslims in the community.
Finding History: Woodlawn Cemetery
One of the best ways to learn about the early Muslim community in Biddeford is by visiting Woodlawn Cemetery. This cemetery is located on West Street in Biddeford. If you visit today, you might notice something special about some of the gravestones.
Muslim Burial Ground Features
In one part of the cemetery, the tombstones face a different direction than others. This is because Muslim graves are traditionally placed to face Mecca. Mecca is a holy city in Saudi Arabia that is important to Muslims around the world. Some of these special headstones also have a star and crescent symbol carved into them. This symbol is often used to represent Islam. Other grave markers mention that the person buried there was an "Albanian Muhamedan." This means they were an Albanian follower of the Prophet Muhammad, also known as a Muslim.
Pepperell Counting House Today
The Pepperell Counting House, which may have been the site of Biddeford's first mosque, is still standing today. It is now owned by a company called WestPoint Stevens.
