FRANKLIN LODGE

Franklin Lodge - Ussher Town, Accra

As a result of the increased trans-Atlantic slave trade, the Portuguese constructed this building in 1600 as a slave house to augment the holding capacity of other slave posts.

The structure is of the Renaissance style, reflected in the charm and romance of its character. It consists of a two-storey block, flanked on the north and east by single-storey structures and incorporating a large courtyard. The ground floor of the two-story block has very robust walls and an arcaded frontage. The house had a dungeon under the two-story block with a passage leading to a loading area at the Southern end - the less romantic relics and other evidence of the slave trade.
This historic building is at risk, facing major threats to its structure from:
-->the tropical maritime climate i.e. strong winds, heavy rainfalls corrosive salt-laden
atmosphere, and encroachment by the sea (sea erosion).
-->Combined with the lack of regular maintenance, climatic impacts, and sea erosion are the primary causes of the deterioration of the physical fabric of the building.

Franklin House was built at the end of the 18th century. It was built by a Dutch slave dealer called Vanderpuije. The building is constructed of fired bricks that were used as ballast for the slave ships coming to Africa to pick up human cargo. Despite its dilapidated condition, it is one of the best examples in Accra of slave architecture of the period

The Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, the heritage institution responsible for the preservation of Cultural Heritage in the country, in collaboration with UNESCO, is putting forward a proposal for the restoration of this monument that will include converting part of the structure into a historical museum. Adequate financial resources will have to be mobilized for this goal.