Church of the Holy Comforter (Poughkeepsie, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of the Holy Comforter |
|
|---|---|
South elevation and tower, 2007
|
|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | The Archdiocese of New York (The Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church of America |
| Rite | Western Rite Orthodox |
| Year consecrated | 1860 |
| Location | |
| Location | Poughkeepsie, NY, USA |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Richard Upjohn |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| General contractor | William Harloe |
| Groundbreaking | 1859 |
| Completed | 1860 |
| Construction cost | $19,000 (church, 1860) $8,700 (north addition, 1867) |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | East |
| Capacity | 300 |
| Spire height | 100' |
| Materials | Ulster County bluestone trimmed with New Jersey brownstone |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1972 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 72000831 |
| Website | |
| [1] | |
The Church of the Holy Comforter is a beautiful old church built in 1860. It is located in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. You can find it at 18 Davies Place, not far from the train station and the Hudson River.
The church's tall steeple is easy to spot. It stands out to people driving through the city. This is especially true since the elevated US 9 expressway was built in 1965.
Contents
Building the Church
The church's story began in 1854. Back then, the group was called Christ Church. Six years later, in 1860, they officially formed a group. They hired a famous architect named Richard Upjohn. He was well-known for designing churches.
Upjohn's original drawings for the church are kept at Columbia University's Avery Library. The first stone, called the cornerstone, was placed on June 14, 1859. It is located at the southwest strong support wall of the tower. The church was officially opened for religious services by Bishop Horatio Potter on October 25, 1860.
Church Design and Materials
The Church of the Holy Comforter is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like old European churches. The walls are made of a local blue stone from Ulster County. This stone came from across the river. The decorative parts are made of brown stone from New Jersey.
Inside the church, you can still see the original church benches, called pews. The ceiling is arched, which is known as a vaulted ceiling. It is held up by wooden ribs. In 1867, an addition was built on the north side of the church. This was paid for by William Augustus Davies. He built it to remember his late wife, Sarah Van Wagenen.
A Change in Affiliation
The church is now known as the Church of the Holy Comforter. It belongs to the Archdiocese of New York of the Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church of America. It used to be part of the Episcopal Church. However, it changed its affiliation after some events in the 1970s. After that, it was connected with the Anglican Church. More recently, it became part of the Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church of America.
Historic Landmark Status
On April 13, 1972, the Church of the Holy Comforter was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical building. It is also a part of the Mill Street-North Clover Street Historic District. This district was also listed on the Register later in 1972.
