Ribbon-cutting celebrates opening of Adoniram Judson Heritage Center

Special to The Advocate

On Saturday, August 9, 2025, the birthplace and former home of missionary Rev. Adoniram Judson Jr., who was born in 1788 in the house located at 145 Main St. in Malden, officially became the Adoniram Judson Heritage Center. Originally Malden’s first meeting house, “The Parsonage” sits across from Bell Rock Park and is currently the oldest structure in Malden. The home was purchased last fall by the Adoniram Judson Heritage Foundation and was refurbished over last year.

A ceremonial program took place on the lawn under a tent for a crowd of nearly 100. Mayor Gary Christenson brought greetings from the City of Malden and thanked the Global Burmese Community for their efforts to preserve the historical site. He also acknowledged the work of First Baptist Church of Malden, Arthur Chen and Community City Church, the American Baptist Church of Mass., the Malden Public Library and members of the Malden Historical Society. Attendees heard from several impressive speakers reflecting upon the impact of Judson’s ministry in Burma (now Myanmar). The featured speaker was Rosalie Hall Hunt, who holds an honorary doctorate from Judson University for her work on Judson’s history and legacy. A ribbon was cut, and a new bronze plaque commemorating the site was unveiled.

Adoniram Judson went on to become one of America’s first and most impactful foreign missionaries. He was educated at Andover Theological Seminary and at age 25 sailed to India with his wife Ann. Turned away from India, for nearly 40 years they made their home in Burma, where they translated the Bible into Burmese, established a number of Baptist churches and compiled the first-ever Burmese-English dictionary. He was imprisoned in Burma for 20 months during the first Anglo-Burmese War and was released after the collapse of the Burmese armies.

Judson’s pioneering work in Burma and his lasting contributions to education, translation and faith outreach continue to inspire people around the world. He died at age 61 while on a voyage at sea that was “prescribed to cure a lung disease.”

Event attendees were taken on guided tours of the building. The “Old Parsonage” was originally built in 1651. It was destroyed by fire in July 1724 and was rebuilt by January 1725. The location has also served as the home of famous ministers and artists, including Reverend Joseph Emerson, the great-grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson. The Reverend Peter Thacher, who authored the Malden Town Instructions in 1776, began his career here as well.

Artists Cyrus and Darius Cobb were born here in 1834, and their work can be viewed at the Converse Galleries at the Malden Public Library. They were the sons of Sylvanus Cobb, Jr., an abolitionist and temperance activist. The Parsonage became privately owned after it was sold in 1837. In 1845 and during and after the Civil War, this location was one of four Malden stations on the Underground Railroad.

The Adoniram Judson Heritage Center is envisioned not only as a museum and educational site but also as a hub for cultural and mission-focused programming for both Malden and a wider audience. The Center will serve as a monument to a missionary whose work began in a small Massachusetts parsonage and radiated out across continents.