Historic Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and Parsonage Project Summary

Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church on Parker Street. March 13, 1913

courtesy Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture

The purpose of the project is to preserve the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and Parsonage to serve as a location for visitors to create connections to the life and work of Harriet Tubman in her chosen hometown of Auburn, New York. In the Church’s National Register of Historic Places nomination, the defining historical event for the building was identified as Harriet Tubman’s funeral held on March 13, 1913. The National Park Service will restore the Church to it’s 1913 appearance to serve as a three season exhibit for visitors to experience the space as Harriet Tubman would have seen it. The Parsonage will serve as a visitor information location and administrative offices for Park Service staff and volunteers. Completion of the project is anticipated for Summer 2023.

The National Park Service and the awarded contractors are completing preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation work on both buildings. Preservation protects the historic materials of the building, as they are now—warts and all. These parts may look aged and worn, but the goal is to protect the original fabric of the building, so it does not deteriorate any further. For instance, specialists are preserving in place examples of the original painted stencils inside the church that were there at the time of Tubman’s funeral. Restoration uses original building materials that are cleaned, sealed, or refinished to make them look and work as good as new, or are replicated missing historic components. When replacing historic materials, whenever possible, we use the same type and style of material, for example the white cedar roof on the Thompson Church. Sometimes, restoration uses modern technology that copies the effect or look of the historic materials—as with the radiant floor heat in the Thompson Church, which will mimic the heat coming up from the old boiler in the basement, but will be a safer and cleaner alternative. Rehabilitation is the repair or replacement of original materials with new materials, and the change to the building structure, space, and/or use. While the church will be restored to look as it did during Tubman’s funeral, the parsonage is being rehabilitated to serve as a small visitor information center with accessible public restrooms and park staff offices. This is a departure from its original use as a home for the congregation’s Pastor.

Find more information about the NPS contracting process.

Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church

Work during this contract will:

• Repair the Church roof with historically accurate materials, including original steeple.
• Remove and assess church bell. Replace with either reproduction bell or sound facsimile
• Restore church exterior siding, framing, and architectural features. Paint in historic colors.
• Update electrical wiring to meet modern safety standards.
• Preserve stained glass windows, original plaster and paint (from 1913) where possible. Reproduce where not possible.
• Restore interior wood molding, paneling, floors, and railings.

Contract start date: November 12, 2021
Contractor: K2 Contracting Group, LLC
Onsite work began: May 1, 2022
Anticipated completion date: June 2023

Total project cost: $3,069,603
Funding sources: National Park Foundation (57%) and National Park Service (42%)

Parsonage

The exterior of the parsonage was partially stabilized in 2017. Work during this current contract will:

• Repair floors, walls, windows, and woodwork so that the building is safe to enter, and to keep weather and pests out.
• Complete the exterior to look like it did in 1913 with some modern accessibility features.
• Improve the electrical wiring and plumbing to bring it up to modern safety and sanitation standards.
• Modernize the HVAC system.
• Add an accessible restroom.
• Provide office facilities for National Park Service staff.

Contract start date: September 23, 2021
Contractor: K2 Contracting Group, LLC
Onsite work began: May 1, 2022
Anticipated completion date: June 2023

Project cost: $1,997,673
Funding source: National Park Service (100%)

Approximate Timeline

Spring 2022: Stabilize church exterior
Summer 2022: Begin church interior work.
Winter 2022-2023: Stabilize Parsonage interior.
Spring 2023: Complete restoration and rehabilitation.
Summer 2023: Open parsonage and Church for visitor use.