Calvary Baptist Church (Ossining, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Calvary Baptist Church |
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South elevation, 2009
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Baptist |
| Leadership | The Rev. Gershwin F.E. Grant, pastor |
| Location | |
| Location | Ossining, NY, USA |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Calvin Pollard |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| General contractor | Ledyard H. Halsey |
| Completed | 1835 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | South |
| Materials | Marble |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | December 6, 1978 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 78001925 |
| Website | |
| Calvary | |
The Calvary Baptist Church in Ossining, New York, is a very old and special building. It was first called St. Paul's Episcopal Church. This church is made of stone and built in the Gothic Revival style. This means it looks a bit like old castles or cathedrals.
It's thought to be the best example of this style from its early days in Westchester County. The church was built in the 1830s. This makes it the oldest place of worship in Ossining. In 1978, the church and its rectory (a house for the minister) became a National Register of Historic Places site.
The original marble for the church came from nearby Sing Sing Prison. Inmates there helped quarry the stone. Later, in the mid-1800s, the rectory was added. The church also got bigger. A tall spire (a pointy tower top) was added but later removed in the 1950s. After that, the original church group moved out. The Calvary Baptist Church bought the building in 1958 and has been there ever since.
Contents
What Does the Church Look Like?
The church and its rectory are on St. Paul's Place in downtown Ossining. The church is on the north side of the street. The rectory, which is now used as an extra building, is on the south side. The area around the church has other buildings and some parking lots. The land gently slopes down towards the Hudson River.
The Main Church Building
The church is a one-story building. It is covered in rough-cut marble from Sing Sing Prison. Smoother stone is used for decoration. A square bell tower stands at the front (south side) of the church. At the back, there's a small brick room called a chancel.
The corners of the church have stone supports called buttresses. The front of the church has two empty pointed arches on either side of the tower. Along the sides of the main part of the church, there are three pointed stained-glass windows. These windows have simple patterns. Above them are double windows with diamond-shaped dividers.
At the very back of the chancel, there is a large stained-glass window with a rounded top. Inside the church, you can see the wooden beams that support the roof. There are also beautiful stained-glass windows. A large pointed arch leads into the chancel area.
The Bell Tower Entrance
Stone steps with metal railings lead up to the bell tower. There are entrances on three sides of the tower. All of these entrances have double wooden doors. They are set inside pointed arches with fancy wooden designs above them.
A stone sign on the front of the tower says "St. Paul's Church, A.D. MDCCCXXXV". This means "St. Paul's Church, Year 1835". Above this, there's another stone edge. The very top part of the tower has narrow pointed arches with vents. A small cross sits on top of the tower.
The Rectory Building
The rectory is across the street from the church. It is a two-and-a-half-story brick house. It has a smaller section sticking out from the back. A porch with a pointed roof is on the front. The rectory has similar Gothic Revival details to the church. For example, its windows are tall and pointed, just like the church's. Inside, the rectory still has its original staircase. It also has its old decorative ceilings and door frames.
A Look Back in Time: Church History
In the 1830s, Ossining was a busy place. It was known as Sing Sing back then. Farmers brought their crops to the port on the Hudson River. From there, goods could be shipped to New York City. Shipbuilders and other businesses were also active near the docks. Inmates at Sing Sing prison, which opened in 1825, helped quarry marble. This marble was used for buildings in the area.
Building the First Church
A group of Episcopal worshippers decided they needed their own church. In 1834, they bought the land for $800. This was a lot of money back then! The land was bought from Richard Austin, a rich local lawyer. His house is now a history museum.
The church group hired Calvin Pollard to design their new building. Pollard was an architect from New York City. He designed the church in the new Gothic Revival style. He used the marble from Sing Sing Prison. The church was finished and opened in 1835.
Changes Over the Years
As Ossining grew, so did the church. In 1859, the chancel (the back part of the church) was added. The rectory across the street was built in 1864. It was designed to match the church's style. In 1870, a tall spire was added to the top of the bell tower.
However, bad weather damaged the spire in 1951, and it had to be removed. Soon after, the Episcopal church group moved to a new church. They sold the old building in 1958. The Calvary Baptist Church bought the empty church. They have been using it ever since.
See also
