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Description
In 1829, the First Universalist Society of Westbrook was founded. In 1867, the First Universalist Society of Westbrook built the Universalist Church on Stevens Plains at Westbrook Seminary (which became Westbrook Junior College and then Westbrook College), and now the former church is the University of New England's Ludcke Auditorium. As the neighborhood was incorporated into Portland, the church went through other name changes. In 1883 they became All Souls Church, and in 1927, All Souls Universalist Church.
In 1943, the Church of the Messiah and All Souls Universalist Church merged. They renovated the building on Stevens Avenue and changed their name to Messiah-All Souls Universalist Church. Meanwhile, in the years leading up to 1964, the First Universalist Church (Congress Square) experienced a declining membership and financial hardships. They sold the Congress Square building, merged with Messiah-All Souls, and renamed the Stevens Avenue church the Universalist Church of Portland.
In 1970, when the Universalist Church of Portland built a new church on Allen Avenue, All Souls Church reverted back to Westbrook College. From 1970 to 1986, the campus library was located in the building (Library-In-a-Church). The Eleanor de Wolfe Ludcke (Class of 1926) Auditorium was dedicated in October 1986.
Media
Photographic print
Location of Original
Westbrook College History Collection
Size of Original
7 3/16 inches x 8 1/4 inches
Notes
With notes from HISTORY OF THE ALLEN AVENUE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH at http://www.a2u2.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/HISTORY-OF-THE-ALLEN-AVENUE-UNITARIAN-UNIVERSALIST-CHURCH.pdf
Preferred Citation
"All Souls Church, Westbrook Seminary and Junior College, 1940s" (1940s). University of New England, Westbrook College History Collection. https://dune.une.edu/wchc_photos_allsouls/3
Date
1940s