Nathan and Mary Johnson properties, Historical residence in New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States
The Nathan and Mary Johnson properties are two joined buildings on Seventh Street in New Bedford, Massachusetts, built in the Greek Revival style. The houses stand side by side and show how a prosperous free African American couple lived and kept their home in the 19th century.
Nathan and Mary Johnson, free African Americans, acquired these buildings in the 1830s and used them as a safe place for people escaping from slavery. Frederick Douglass took shelter here shortly after his own escape in 1838 and it was Nathan Johnson who gave him his surname.
The buildings sit in the heart of New Bedford's historic African American neighborhood and are today used as headquarters for the New Bedford Historical Society. Walking through the rooms brings visitors face to face with how a free Black family lived and helped others in the 19th century.
A visit generally requires advance booking through the New Bedford Historical Society, as the rooms are small and groups are limited in size. The narrow hallways and low ceilings reflect the original construction, which can make the space harder to move through for visitors with mobility issues.
A hidden attic space behind a trapdoor is believed to have sheltered people fleeing slavery, according to local records and oral history. Nathan Johnson was also among the wealthiest African Americans in New Bedford at the time, which gave him the means to offer this help without drawing suspicion.
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