Blandford Church facts for kids
|
Blandford Church
|
|
The church as it looks today.
|
|
 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 319 S. Crater Rd., Petersburg, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | 1736 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001513 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | May 31, 1972 |
The Blandford Church is a very old building in Petersburg, Virginia. It is the oldest building in the city with a clear history. You can find it on Well's Hill, which is the highest spot in Petersburg. Today, it serves as a special memorial for soldiers from the Southern United States. These soldiers died during the American Civil War.
Right next to the church is Blandford Cemetery. This cemetery is one of the oldest and largest in Virginia. Interestingly, the cemetery was created after the church was no longer used. The city bought the land in the early 1800s to use it as a burial ground.
The Blandford Church was also known as St. Paul's Church. People sometimes just called it "The Brick Church." It was built in 1736 on Well's Hill. In 1781, during the American Revolution, a battle happened nearby. This was the Battle of Blandford, also called the Battle of Petersburg. A British general named William Phillips died in Petersburg after this battle. He was secretly buried somewhere in the churchyard.
The church building was no longer used after 1806. This happened because a new Episcopal church was built in Petersburg. The town of Blandford became part of Petersburg around this time. The old church then became an "ivy-covered shell," meaning it was empty and covered in plants.
Contents
A Place of History and Healing
During the Civil War, Blandford Church played an important role. It was used as a major telegraph station. This meant messages could be sent and received there. It also became a field hospital, especially after the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864. Many injured soldiers were cared for inside its walls.
In 1882, the City of Petersburg made important repairs to save the church. A group called the Ladies' Memorial Association of Petersburg was formed in 1866. This group decided to preserve the old church. They wanted it to be a memorial for the many Confederate soldiers buried in the nearby cemetery. About 30,000 soldiers were buried there without being identified.
This Ladies' Memorial Association is one of the oldest women's groups in the country. Between 1889 and 1905, they paid for a pulpit and 34 pews for the church. They also temporarily fixed the windows with clear glass.
Beautiful Stained-Glass Windows
The Ladies' Memorial Association had a special idea. They asked the eleven Confederate states, plus Maryland and Missouri, for money. They wanted to create beautiful stained-glass windows for the church. Only Kentucky did not join in.
Between 1904 and 1912, these amazing windows were made and put in place. They were created by a famous artist named Louis Comfort Tiffany. Each large window shows a picture of a Saint. It also has symbols connected to that Saint. Besides the thirteen state windows, Tiffany gave one window as a gift. The Ladies' Memorial Association also donated one.
The half-round stained-glass window above the church door is very special. It has the name "Ladies Memorial Association of Petersburgh, VA" and the dates 1866–1909. In the middle, it shows the only Confederate flag that Tiffany is known to have made. It also has the dates 1861—1865. The city's website says the church is a shrine to its 'Lost Cause'. This means it honors the memory of the Southern soldiers and their cause.
Honoring the States
On November 18, 1900, the Ladies' Memorial Association decided to turn "Old Blandford Church" into a "mortuary and memorial chapel." This meant it would be a place to remember the dead. Fifteen windows were put in between 1904 and 1912. Most of them show a state seal, a saint, and a message.
Eleven windows were given by the former Confederate states:
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Florida
- Texas
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Tennessee
- Arkansas
Two more windows were given by Missouri and Maryland. Kentucky, another border state, was the only one that did not participate. There is also a window with a Christian cross made of jewels. This one was donated by Louis Comfort Tiffany himself.
Blandford Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
State Windows and Their Saints
Here are some of the saints shown in the state windows:
- Saint John the Evangelist- Virginia
- Saint Paul- Louisiana: The Washington Artillery group paid for this window. It is the only state window without a state seal. Instead, it shows the Washington Artillery's symbol.
- Saint Bartholomew- North Carolina
- Saint Philip the Apostle- Tennessee
- Saint James the Less- Mississippi
- Saint Luke- Texas
- Saint Peter- Missouri
- Saint Mark- South Carolina
- Saint Andrew- Alabama
- Saint Thomas the Apostle- Georgia
- Saint Matthew- Florida
