African Methodist Episcopal Church in Oro, 1849

Between 1830 and 1850 some 24 Negro families who had fled from slavery in the United States to freedom in Canada were settled in Oro mostly on the concession running north of Shanty Bay, known as Wilberforce Street. In 1849, they acquired this piece of land for a burying ground and built here this African Episcopal Church. Dedicated to the memory of the Black pioneers who settled in this area.The first settlers were soldiers of Captain Runchey's "Company of Coloured Men" who fought the Americans in the War of 1812. The next wave of settlers were freemen from the Northern U.S. They initially settled on Wilberforce Street (Line #1), worshipped in this Church and were buried in this and nearby cemeteries."It is with the highest esteem we acknowledge the challenge they accepted, the contribution they made to the development of this community and their unique spirituality."Renovations 1947, 1956photo taken with a Leica IIIf with an Elmar 5cm f3.5