Abyssinian Meeting House, Portland, ME Client:  John James Architect Originally built in 1828, the Abyssinian Meeting House served Portland’s African American Community.  Easily accessible by both rail and sea, Portland evolved as a northern hub for the Underground Railroad system, with the Abyssinian actively housing and transporting runaway slaves.  It was also a school for African American children when Portland’s schools were segregated and one of a few framed buildings that survived the 1866 Portland fire that destroyed roughly 1,500 buildings.  The goal of the Abyssinian Restoration Project is to restore, preserve, and maintain the Meeting House while promoting cultural heritage of African-Americans in Maine. For the actual Mission Statement and more information, visit www.abyme.org Casco Bay Engineering continues to work with the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian in an effort to structurally stabilize and historically preserve the original construction of the Meeting House.       Additional Projects