Bryn Athyn Historic District facts for kids
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Bryn Athyn Historic District
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Bryn Athyn Cathedral
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Huntington Pike and Cathedral Road, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 37.7 acres (15.3 ha) |
| Architect | Carrere and Hastings, Cram, Trout; Price, Pitcairn |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Beaux Arts |
| NRHP reference No. | 08001087 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 6, 2008 |
| Designated NHLD | October 6, 2008 |
The Bryn Athyn Historic District is a special place in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. It is known for its amazing buildings that show off the Arts and Crafts movement style. This area was named a National Historic Landmark in 2008. This means it is a very important historical site in the United States.
The district includes three homes of the Pitcairn family. They were important supporters of the Arts and Crafts movement. It also includes the beautiful Bryn Athyn Cathedral. All these buildings were made by skilled craftspeople hired by the Pitcairns.
The historic district is in the middle of Bryn Athyn. It is on the west side of Huntington Pike (which is Pennsylvania Route 232). Cathedral Road cuts through the middle of the district. On the north side, you'll find Cairnwood and the Glencairn Museum. Both were once homes of the Pitcairn family. On the south side is the Bryn Athyn Cathedral. This is the main church for the General Church of the New Jerusalem. Also on the south side is Cairncrest, another Pitcairn home. Today, it is used as church offices.
Contents
History of Bryn Athyn's Buildings
Who was John Pitcairn Jr.?
John Pitcairn Jr. (1841-1916) was a rich businessman from Scotland. He made a lot of money with the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company. This company was the first big maker of plate glass in the United States. John Pitcairn followed a special Christian faith called Swedenborgianism. In the late 1880s, he wanted to build a big center for his church, called The New Church.
Building a New Community
To do this, he bought about 500 acres of land. This land was in the countryside of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, north of Philadelphia. He hired a famous architecture firm from New York City, Carrère and Hastings. They designed his large home, called Cairnwood. It was finished in 1895. Cairnwood is a great example of the Beaux Arts style. This style later influenced other buildings the Pitcairns built. John Pitcairn also hired Charles Eliot. He planned the land for the family and the church buildings.
The New Church and Its Art
Around 1897, there was a disagreement within The New Church. This led to the creation of the General Church of the New Jerusalem. This new church was more traditional. It is still based on Swedenborgian teachings and is located in Bryn Athyn.
The amazing Bryn Athyn Cathedral is the most important building of this new church. John Pitcairn's son, Raymond Pitcairn, helped build it. He worked with architect Ralph Adams Cram. The Pitcairns also set up creative workshops. These workshops helped build Raymond's house, Glencairn, which is next to Cairnwood. They also built Cairncrest, the home of Raymond's brother, Harold Pitcairn.
Arts and Crafts Style
The way these workshops designed buildings was typical of the Arts and Crafts movement. This style focused on teamwork between architects and skilled craftspeople. It allowed the craftspeople to add their own creative ideas to the final design. Ralph Adams Cram, who was involved with the cathedral's building, said it was very special. He wrote that its creation was "unique" in architecture for 400 years.
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Cairncrest
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Glencairn Museum
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Cairnwood Mansion
