- 1894-00-00 — Green Acre was founded by Sarah J. Farmer in the aftermath of the World Parliament of Religions. [BBRSM:104; BFA2:142–7; BW5:29; GPB261; SBBH1:125]
In his book Restless Souls: The Making of American Spirituality, historian Leigh Eric Schmidt comments on the impact of Green Acre on public discourse in the early twentieth century: "The Green Acre gatherings thrived for more than two decades; the World's Parliament lasted all of seventeen days."
[BWNS 1172] - 1900-04-00 —
Sarah Farmer put Green Acre at the disposal of the Bahá'ís after her pilgrimage to `Akká in 1900. [BFA2:144–5; GPB261]
- After 1900 Green Acre effectively became the site of the first Bahá'í summer school in the world, although it was not officially so until 1929. [BBRSM:104; BW5:29–30; SBBH1:125]
- 1901-08-00 —
Mírzá Abu'l-Faḍl-i-Gulpáygání arrived in North America. [BFA2:XV]
- Laura Barney financed the visit of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl to the United States in 1901-04 in order to propagate the Faith and to help publish the translation of his Ḥojaj al-bahīya (Cairo, 1342/1925; tr. Ali-Kuli Khan as The Bahá'í Proofs, New York, 1902; 2nd ed., ed. J. R. I. Cole, Wilmette, Ill., 1983) [Wikipedia, Laura Clifford Barney.]
- See BFA2:80–7 and BW9:855–860 for accounts of his visit.
- See Wikipedia, Green Acre and Wikipedia, Mary Hanford Ford for accounts of Mírzá Abu'l-Fadl at Green Acre.
- Mirza Ahmad Sohrab was sent to assist him. Sohrab remained and worked at the Iranian Consulate until 1912 and during this time he translated much of the correspondence between 'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Western believers. At the conclusion of the American tour he returned to the Holy Land. After the passing of 'Abdu'l-Bahá he rejected the authority of Shoghi Effendi and was expelled. [APD155]
- [LDNW17] says he was accompanied by Ali-Kuli Kahn.
- 1912-08-16 —
`Abdu'l-Bahá journeyed to Green Acre by car, arriving the same day. [239D:123; AB240]
-
Talk at Green Acre,
Eliot, Maine. [PUP253]
- For `Abdu'l-Bahá's activities while in Green Acre see AB240–51.
- For the story of Fred Mortensen see 239D:126–9, DJT359 and AB247–51.
- See also Green Acre on the Piscataqua.
- 1912-08-17 —
Talk at Green Acre,
Eliot, Maine. [PUP261] -
Talk at Green Acre,
Eliot, Maine. [PUP263]
-
Talk at Green Acre,
Eliot, Maine. [PUP264]
-
Talk at Green Acre,
Eliot, Maine. [PUP270]
- See a photo of Eirenion Hall, built in 1897, where 'Abdu'l-Bahá gave a number of talks. It was lost in a fire in 1924
- 1925-07-04 —
The Seventeenth Annual Convention of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada was held at Green Acre. [GAP117; SBR94]
- National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada was elected for the first time. The National Assembly superseded the institution of Bahá'í Temple Unity formed during `Abdu'l-Bahá's ministry. [GPB333; SETPE1p107]
- Like the previous attempts at electing a National Assembly in 1922, 1923 and 1924, the delegates didn't fully understand the Bahá'í election procedure. Nine members were elected as well as nine alternates whose purpose was to replace absent members at meetings. Those elected as members were: Horace Holley, (sec), Montfort Mills, (Chair), Florence Morton (tres.), Siegried Schopflocher, Roy Wilhelm, Alfred Lunt, (vice and asst. treas), Elizabeth Greenleaf, May Maxwell, Agnes Parson. [BN No 4 April 1925 p2]
- Subsequently it was announced that the following persons were members of the National Assembly: Horace Holley, (Sec'y), Mountfort Mills, (chair) Florence Morton, (Treas.), Fred Schopflocher, Roy Wilhelm,(Vice), Allen McDaniel, Carl Scheffler, Ali Kuli Khan, and Amelia Collins. [BN No 6 July-August 1925 p2, 5]
- Another ballot was taken for alternatives to those elected and selected were: Alfred Lunt, Agnes Parsons, William Randall, May Maxwell, George Latimer, Louis Gregory, Elizabeth Greenleaf, Mariam Haney and Keith Ransom-Kehler. [BN No 6 July-August 1925 p5]
- The offices of the National Spiritual Assembly were located in 169 Christopher Steet, New York at this time. [BN No 4 April 1925 p2]
- 1926-00-03 —
Green Acre came under the direct supervision of the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada. [GAP118]
- Canadian Bahá'is played a significant role in redeeming the debts of Green Acre to prepare for its transference to trustees for the benefit of the National Spiritual Assembly. It became the first Bahá'í School to be legally placed under Bahá'í administrative authority in North America. [CBN 82 November, 1956 p2]
- 1926-10-01 — The office of the National Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada was moved from Green Acre to 48 West 10th Street in New York, in the house that was so richly blessed by the presence of 'Abdu'l-Bahá many times during His visit. [BN No 12 June - July 1926 p1]
- 1927-07-15 — The first Race Amity Conference was held in Green Acre. It was organized by Louis Gregory, Agnes Parsons, Dr Zia Bagdadi, Alain Locke, and Pauline Hannen. [GAP118, SYH146]
- 1927-08-01 —
Geyserville Bahá'í Summer School, the first American Bahá'í summer school, was established on property in California donated by John Bosch. It was to operate until 1973 when a new road project divided the property. The land was sold and the funds used to purchase land in the mountains above the coastal town of Santa Cruz. The new school was named In honour of John and Louise Bosch. [BBD87; BW10:180; GPB340, Bosch; BTSG69]
- BW5:28–9 says this was the second Bahá'í summer school in America. Shoghi Effendi indicates in GPB340 that Green Acre is formally established as a Bahá'í summer school in 1929.
- 1929-08-12 — Green Acre became a fully fledged Bahá'í summer school when the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States and Canada obtained legal title to the property. [BBD91; GAP118; GPB340; SBBH126, Green Acre]
- 1929-09-14 — The Green Acre Trustees were appointed by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Canada. [GAP118]
- 1949-08-00 — Green Acre did not open for summer school this year or the next as an austerity measure so that funds could be directed to the completion of the Wilmette Temple. [SYH236]
- 2002-09-21 — The dedication, at the Green Acre Bahá'í School in Eliot Maine, the oldest permanent Bahá'í school in the world, of a new classroom and lecture hall designated as The Harriet and Curtis Kelsey Center, with an attendant Manny Reimer Hall. [BWNS175]
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