Photo © Historic New England

Charles Street Meeting House

Description

The Charles Street Meetinghouse, built in 1807 in Boston, has hosted various communities, evolving from a segregated Baptist church to a safe haven for radical thinkers. It was a hub for abolitionists like Timothy Gilbert, who challenged segregation, and later became home to the First African Methodist Episcopal Church. By the 1970s, it served Boston’s LGBTQIA community, hosting the first gay dances and youth advocacy programs. The Meetinghouse remains a symbol of progressive change.

Constructed, 1804

Converted, 1981

In 1980 the Meeting House was purchased by the Charles Street Meeting House Associates. This group intended to restore the exterior and find viable, compatible uses for the interior spaces. Exterior restoration and interior renovation for office (4 floors), retail (ground floor), and residential uses commenced in the fall of 1981. The exterior was completely preserved.

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