Immanuel Episcopal Church on the Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Immanuel Episcopal Church |
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Immanuel Episcopal Church, 1970
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| 39°39′38.8″N 75°33′45.5″W / 39.660778°N 75.562639°W | |
| Location | New Castle, Delaware |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal Church |
| Website | www.immanuelonthegreen.org |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1689 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Groundbreaking | 1703 |
| Completed | 1708 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Delaware |
| Province | III |
Immanuel on the Green (Episcopal) is a very old and important church in New Castle, Delaware. It's a famous building in the New Castle Historic District. You can find it right in the middle of New Castle, next to a big grassy area called "the Green." This makes it a well-known spot and a cool place for tourists to visit.
This church has been open non-stop since 1689. That makes it the oldest Anglican church in Delaware. It's also the oldest continuously running Anglican/Episcopal church in the entire country! The main church building was built between 1703 and 1708. It was made bigger in 1822. Sadly, a big fire in 1980 destroyed the inside and the roof. But don't worry, it was rebuilt and looks great today!
Contents
Church History: A Look Back
How Immanuel Church Began
Immanuel Church started in 1689. It was the very first Anglican church in what we now call Delaware. Back then, Delaware was still part of Pennsylvania. The first leader of the church was Reverend George Ross. He worked there from 1705 to 1708, and then again from 1714 to 1754.
The church building itself was constructed between 1703 and 1708. People even started having services there before the building was completely finished.
Changes Over the Years
After the American Revolution, the church building started to get old and needed repairs. In 1820, a famous architect from Philadelphia named William Strickland helped. He led a big project to fix up and expand the church. This included adding a new part called a transept, a bell tower, a tall steeple, a new roof, and a new inside.
The inside of the church was changed again in the 1850s. It was updated in the Victorian style. Then, around 1900, it was changed once more to look like the Colonial Revival style.
The 1980 Fire and Rebuilding
On February 1, 1980, Immanuel Church caught fire. Sparks from a marsh fire nearby landed on the roof. The roof, the steeple, and the entire inside of the building were completely destroyed. Only the outer walls were left standing.
Even though the damage was very bad, people from all over Delaware helped. They raised more than $2 million to rebuild the church. It was restored to look just like it did in 1822, thanks to William Strickland's original plans. The church was officially opened again on December 18, 1982.
Church Architecture: What It Looks Like
The National Register of Historic Places describes Immanuel Episcopal Church. It says the church is made of stone covered in stucco. It has five sections, a center aisle, and a roof with sloped ends. There's also a stone and wood spire with a clock.
Most of the church's current look is thanks to architect William Strickland. He designed the transept (the cross-shaped part) and the tower with its cool, castle-like top. When the church was rebuilt after the fire, the new roof, steeple, and inside all followed Strickland's original designs.
Cemetery: Resting Place for Notable People
Many important people are buried in the cemetery at Immanuel Church. Here are a few of them:
- Gunning Bedford, Sr., who was a Governor of Delaware.
- C. Douglass Buck, a U.S. Senator.
- John L. Gardner, a Brigadier General.
- George Read, one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence.
- George Read, Jr., the first U.S. Attorney for Delaware.
- George B. Rodney, a U.S. Representative.
- Thomas Stockton, another Governor of Delaware.
- Nicholas Van Dyke, Sr., also a Governor of Delaware.
- Nicholas Van Dyke, Jr., a U.S. Senator.
- Mary Borden McKean, who was the wife of Thomas McKean, the second Governor of Pennsylvania.
