Arlington Street Church Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Arlington Street Church

42°21′7.4″N 71°04′15.9″W / 42.352056°N 71.071083°W / 42.352056; -71.071083
Location	351–355 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts
Denomination	Unitarian Universalist
Architecture
Architect(s)	Arthur Gilman
Architectural type	18th-century English

The Arlington Street Church is a famous Unitarian Universalist church in Boston, Massachusetts. It stands right across from the beautiful Public Garden. This church is very important in American history. Many well-known ministers have worked here.

The church building was finished in 1861. It was designed by Arthur Gilman and Gridley James Fox Bryant. They made it look like the St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in London. Inside, the main worship area has 16 large stained-glass windows. These amazing windows were made by Tiffany Studios between 1899 and 1930.

On May 17, 2004, the Arlington Street Church was the place where the first state-approved same-sex marriage in the United States happened.

History of the Church Community
The Arlington Street Church Building
- Inside the Church
How the Church is Run
Gallery
See also

History of the Church Community

The church community started in 1729. It was first called the "Church of the Presbyterian Strangers." In 1787, it became independent. It then followed a congregational model, meaning the members had a say in how the church was run.

Before moving to Arlington Street, the church was in downtown Boston. It was called the Federal Street Church. Here, William Ellery Channing preached from 1803 to 1842. He is known as the first major American Unitarian minister.

Later, two future presidents of the American Unitarian Association served this church. They were Samuel Eliot and Dana Greeley. In 1935, another church, the Second Universalist Church of Boston, joined with Arlington Street Church. This brought together the ideas of Channing and Hosea Ballou. Ballou is called "the father of American Universalism." In 1942, the Church of the Disciples also united with Arlington Street Church.

In the 1960s, the church became very active in the Civil Rights Movement. James Reeb, a minister from the church, was murdered during a march in Selma, Alabama. Under the leadership of Jack Mendelsohn, the church became a center for protests against the Vietnam War. In the 1980s, the church helped with AIDS awareness and supported people experiencing homelessness. In 2004, Reverend Kim K. Crawford Harvie led the first legal state-approved same-sex marriage in the United States.

The Arlington Street Church Building

Church sanctuary interior

Boston grew a lot, and land became hard to find. So, new land was created by filling in parts of the water. This happened in areas like the North End, South End, and finally the Back Bay in the 1850s. When the area around Federal Street became busy with businesses, the church decided to move. They chose the newly filled land in the Back Bay neighborhood.

The Arlington Street Church was the first public building built there. Construction began in 1859. It was dedicated in 1861, just as the American Civil War was starting. The architects, Arthur Gilman and Gridley James Fox Bryant, also designed the Old Boston City Hall. The outside of the church was inspired by St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London.

The church building stands on 999 wooden poles. These poles were driven deep into the mud of Back Bay. The outside walls are made of brownstone, a type of stone from New Jersey. The bell tower is about 190 feet (58 meters) tall. It holds 16 bells, each with a Bible verse. This is one of only four sets of bells in Boston still rung by hand. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It was named a Boston Landmark in 1978.

The church's outdoor areas were designed by Mabel Keyes Babcock.

Inside the Church

Detail of stained glass window created by Louis Comfort Tiffany depicting John the Baptist

The main worship area, called the sanctuary, has beautiful Corinthian columns and rounded arches. Its design was inspired by a church in Genoa, Italy. Panels with the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer were brought from the old Federal Street Church. Dr. William Ellery Channing’s pulpit, where he used to preach, is also there.

The box pews are made of chestnut wood. Long ago, these pews were owned by church members. Having enclosed pews helped keep out cold drafts in winter.

At first, all the sanctuary windows had clear glass. In 1898, the church decided to add special stained glass windows. These were made by the famous Louis C. Tiffany studios. They planned for 20 windows, but only 16 were installed. The last one was put in place in 1930. This was just before the Great Depression made money scarce. By the time the economy improved, Tiffany Studios had closed.

Frederick Wilson (1858–1932) was the main designer for Tiffany's church windows. He used Tiffany's special glass-making methods. This included confetti glass, iridescent glass, and 3D "drapery glass." He also used soft colors and the unique "Favrile" glass. Tiffany windows can have many layers of glass. This creates amazing textures and colors. Only tiny details that couldn't be made in glass were painted on. The church still has Wilson's original drawings for all the windows.

The windows on the lower level show stories from the early life of Jesus. The windows on the upper level show his Beatitudes, or blessings. Each window has a border of decorative acanthus-leaf scrolls. These match the tops of the Corinthian columns in the sanctuary. You can see full-color pictures of all the Tiffany windows on the Arlington Street Tiffany Education Center website.

In the 1970s, some vandalism damaged a window. So, clear plastic sheets were put on the outside of the Tiffany windows to protect them. Over time, this plastic turned bluish and got dirty. This made the stained glass look cloudy. In recent years, the plastic sheets have been replaced. The glass has been cleaned to bring back its original beauty. In 2015, money was raised to start restoring the Tiffany windows. As of 2019, lights are being installed so the windows can be seen from outside at night.

For many years, only church members saw the Tiffany windows. Now, the church is open to the public. You can visit from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, from mid-May to the end of October. It is closed on Sundays and during special events. You can take a guided tour or a self-guided tour with audio on your phone. Group tours can also be arranged.

The Aeolian-Skinner organ was installed in 1955–1957. This company closed in the 1970s. So, the organ is now seen as a very important historical instrument.

Most of the main floor is easy to access for wheelchairs. The Arlington subway station is right next to the church. It is on the MBTA Green Line.

How the Church is Run

Arlington Street Church is part of the Unitarian Universalist Association. This group was formed in 1961. It brought together the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. Each church in this group runs itself. They decide on their own worship style, leaders, and programs. All the churches are united by a set of shared goals and beliefs.

Each church sends people to a yearly meeting called the General Assembly. Here, they vote on important matters for the whole group. They also vote on ideas for social action. The Association also provides programs to help the churches.

A separate charity helps to protect and restore the church building and its Tiffany windows. It is called The Foundation for the Preservation of 20 Arlington Street Inc. In 2017, the Tiffany Windows Education Center opened. It offers tours of the church and its beautiful Tiffany windows.