Church of the Holy Innocents (Highland Falls, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of the Holy Innocents |
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East elevation, 2007
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Episcopal Church |
| Leadership | The Rev. Judy Ferguson |
| Year consecrated | 1847 |
| Location | |
| Location | Highland Falls, NY, USA |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Robert Walter Weir |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival, Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1846 |
| Completed | 1847 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | east |
| Materials | stone, wood, stucco |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | November 23, 1982 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 82001213 |
| Website | |
| Holy Innocents Episcopal Church | |
The Church of the Holy Innocents is a special church located in Highland Falls, New York, in the United States. It's not far from the main entrance of the United States Military Academy and right across from the West Point Museum. This church belongs to the Episcopal Church, which is a Christian church that started in England.
The church was built in 1847, but it was first planned in 1841. A talented artist named Robert Walter Weir designed the building. He was a painter from the famous Hudson River School and also taught at the military academy. The church was named "Holy Innocents" because Weir's own children had passed away when they were very young.
Over time, the church became a popular place for wealthy people from the city who spent their summers along the Hudson River. One famous person who helped the church was J. Pierpont Morgan. He was a very rich banker who paid for the building of the rectory, which is a house for the church's priest. After he died, his family continued to support the church. They paid for a beautiful Louis Comfort Tiffany stained-glass window. This window shows scenes from the story of Creation from the Bible.
In 1982, the church and its rectory were officially recognized as important historical buildings. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
Exploring the Church and Its Grounds
The Church Property
The Church of the Holy Innocents sits on a large piece of land. It is about 17 acres big. This land is located between Main Street and Church Street. To the west, the ground slopes down a bit. There you can find the Thayer Hotel and the West Point Museum. These are both connected to the United States Military Academy. The area north of the church has many shops. However, the streets right next to the church are mostly homes.
The Church Building
The church building itself is made of stone. It has one story and a roof that slopes very steeply. The roof also has wide, overhanging edges. The church is built so that its main altar, called the chancel, faces towards Jerusalem. This is a common tradition in many churches.
On the north side of the church, there is a stone tower. This tower has a special top that looks like the walls of an old castle. Along Church Street, there are extra rooms. These include a parish room, where church groups meet, and a sacristy, where priests prepare for services.
The main entrance to the church is through a stone porch. Above this entrance, there is a tall, narrow window. You can see similar windows along the sides of the church. On the north side, there is a large, three-part stained glass window.
The Rectory Building
The rectory is the house where the church's priest lives. It is a two-story building. Its bottom part is made of stone. The rest of the house is covered in stucco and has decorative wood beams. This style is called Tudor Revival. The rectory also has many roofs that slope steeply. Like the church, its roofs have wide, overhanging edges and visible wooden beams. On the north side of the house, there is a round section that sticks out. It has two stories and is covered in wooden shingles. The main front door of the rectory has special stained glass windows on its sides.
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