Clarkson Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Clarkson Chapel
|
|
|
U.S. National Historic Landmark District
Contributing Property |
|
South elevation and east profile, 2008
|
|
| Location | Clermont, New York |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Hudson |
| Area | 1.1 acres (4,500 m2) |
| Built | 1860 |
| Architect | Levinus Clarkson, Mary Livingston |
| Architectural style | Carpenter Gothic |
| MPS | Clermont MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003920 |
| Added to NRHP | 1983 |
The Clarkson Chapel is a historic wooden church located in Clermont, New York. You can find it on New York State Route 9G, right across from the Coons House. This beautiful building was constructed in 1860. It shows off the Carpenter Gothic style, which was popular back then.
A local landowner named Levinus Clarkson built the chapel. He was married into the famous Livingston family. He built it for a group of Episcopalians who wanted their own place of worship. At that time, the chapel was part of his large estate called Knollwood.
In 1983, the Clarkson Chapel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site. Later, in 1992, it became part of the Hudson River Historic District. This district is a National Historic Landmark, making the chapel even more special.
Over the years, the chapel passed from the Livingston family to Columbia County.
What the Chapel Looks Like
The chapel sits on a piece of land about 1.1-acre (4,500 m2) big. It's on the west side of Route 9G. A line of trees helps hide it from the road. You can reach it by a driveway from the southeast. The Coons House is also a historic building nearby.
The chapel is a one-story building made of wood. It has a very steep, pointed roof called a gable roof. The outside walls are covered with board-and-batten siding. This means long, flat boards are covered with thin strips of wood.
The windows and the main door have special covers called "hoods." These hoods have fancy, carved designs. The main entrance has two doors with a window above them. Both ends of the roof have decorative points and hanging pieces. There's also a louvered vent, which is a slatted opening for air. The bell tower, called a bellcote, is separate from the main building. It stands to the southeast.
Inside, the chapel has a walkway down the middle. This aisle is between rows of painted wooden benches called pews. The chapel still has its original hanging lights and a cast iron wood-burning stove. There is also an old pump organ inside.
A Look at Its History
In 1854, Levinus Clarkson left his role at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. This church was in Tivoli, south of Clermont. Other church members joined him because of a disagreement. Six years later, in 1860, he built the Clarkson Chapel for them. It was on his Knollwood estate.
The chapel is a great example of the Carpenter Gothic style. This style used wood to create the look of grand stone Gothic churches. The chapel still looks like an Episcopalian church. Its separate bell tower is a good example of this. The fancy hoods over its windows make it different from Richard Upjohn's similar Gothic church, St. Luke's, which is also in Clermont.
The Livingston family owned the chapel for many years. They used it for special events. Later, in the late 1900s, Columbia County took ownership. This happened when some developers did not pay their taxes for a nearby horse farm. In 2001, a group called Scenic Hudson got permission to create a walking trail. This trail would connect the chapel to the horse farm. The horse farm is now part of the Clermont State Historic Site.
See also
