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Thompson A.M.E. Zion Church Exterior Timelapse, September 21, 2022 to June 15, 2024. Notable changes include chimney reconstruction, window replacement on the parsonage building, archeological excavation, installation of the church steeple, painting on the exterior of the church, construction of the permanent porch on the parsonage, landscape rehabilitation, installation of sidewalks and an accessible ramp on the church, and installation of permanent doors on the church.
Thompson A.M.E. Zion Church Interior Timelapse, April 29, 2022 to June 15, 2024. Notable changes include plaster work, reproduction stenciling, historic stencil preservation, painting, installation of reproduction light fixtures, stripping and refinishing of wainscoting, installation of historic altar rail, sanding and refinishing of floors, and the installation of the original glass globe pendant lights from the church.
Preparing a Place
In 2022, the National Park Service broke ground on a restoration project many years in the making. Beginning in spring of this year, contractors working closely with Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and the NPS Historic Architecture, Conservation, and Engineering directorate began the laborious and painstaking process of restoring the Thompson Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and the adjacent parsonage.
The purposes of this project were:
Stabilize the two structures, which had been unsafe for entrance.
Prevent any further deterioration of building features which date back to the period of significance for the property (Harriet Tubman’s lifetime).
Provide opportunities for the community and all park visitors to forge personal connections to Harriet Tubman and her legacy by experiencing the place where she worshipped, celebrated, and worked.
Provide accessible facilities for visitor comfort, information, and education.
Provide on-site workspace for National Park Service staff.
Though some work remains ongoing, and will be for years to come, beginning on June 22, 2024, the church and parsonage will open to the public for the first time as part of the National Park Service.
Before and After: Church Interior
Left image
The church interior as it appeared in April of 2022, shortly after work began.
Credit: NPS via EarthCam
Right image
The church interior as it appeared on June 21, 2024, following two years of painstaking restoration.
Credit: NPS Photo
In these images, taken on April 29, 2022, and June 21, 2024, the dramatic restoration of the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church is evident. From repaired and repainted plaster, to the installation of exhibits detailing the restoration process, the church restoration was a labor of love and a tribute to the enduring legacy of Harriet Tubman in Auburn, New York.
Before and After: Church Exterior
Left image
This image, captured in September of 2022, shows an in-progress look at the restoration of the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, and the parsonage to its right.
Credit: NPS via EarthCam
Right image
By June of 2024, the church looked pristine, with historic paint colors restored, as well as the addition of accessibility features.
Credit: NPS via EarthCam
The dramatic transformation of the exterior of the church was visible to all visitors who witnessed construction between the spring of 2022 and the summer of 2024. With new, historically accurate paint colors, and the addition of a 13-foot spire which once graced the church, the Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and parsonage went from unassuming, run-down buildings, to beautifully restored historic structures.
