First Presbyterian Church and Manse (Baltimore) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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First Presbyterian Church and Manse
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 Location in Baltimore
Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | 200--210 W. Madison St., Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1854 |
| Architect | Lind, E.G.; Starkweather, Norris G. |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 73002186 |
| Added to NRHP | June 18, 1973 |
The First Presbyterian Church and Manse is a historic Presbyterian church building. It is located in the Mount Vernon-Belvedere area of Baltimore, Maryland. This church is known for its beautiful design and its very tall steeple. It has been an important landmark in Baltimore for a long time.
Contents
A Historic Building
The church building is made of brick and has a tall tower in the middle. This tower has two round, castle-like turrets on each side. At the north end, there is a two-story section that looks like a transept. A transept is a part of a church that crosses the main part. The manse, which is the minister's house, is a three-story building made of stone.
Building Design and Construction
Work on the church started around 1854. It was designed by Norris G. Starkweather. His assistant, Edmund G. Lind, finished the building around 1873. The church is a great example of Gothic Revival architecture. This style uses ideas from medieval churches, like pointed arches and tall spires.
Baltimore's Tallest Steeple
The church's steeple is the tallest in Baltimore. It stands at about 273 feet (83 meters) high. The steeple was finished by 1875. It is held up by strong cast iron columns. A smaller spire next to it is 125 feet (38 meters) tall. The smallest spire, on the southwest corner, is 78 feet (24 meters) high. Much of the ironwork was made by Wendel Bollman at his Patapsco Bridge and Ironworks.
The manse, or minister's house, is to the left of the church entrance. It is built with a reddish stone called freestone or sandstone. This stone came from New Brunswick.
Church History
The First Presbyterian Church and Manse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it is recognized as an important historic site.
A New Name and Merger
In 1973, this church joined with another church. It merged with the former Franklin Street Presbyterian Church and Parsonage. After the merger, the church became known as the First and Franklin Presbyterian Church. The combined church used the Franklin Street building for a while. Then, it was sold to another church group.
Baltimore's Oldest Presbyterian Church
The First Presbyterian Church is the oldest Presbyterian group in Baltimore. It was started in 1761. After 1763, it was located downtown at East Fayette and North Streets. The church built three different buildings on that site over the years. In 1859, the government bought that land. A U.S. Courthouse was built there instead.
This church played a big part in starting the local Presbytery of Baltimore. It also helped create many "daughter congregations," like the Second Presbyterian Church. The church is part of the Baltimore National Heritage Area.
See also
- Franklin Street Presbyterian Church and Parsonage, the church that merged with First Presbyterian. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
