St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Prairieville, Alabama) facts for kids
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St. Andrew's Church
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St. Andrew's in 2011
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | County Hwy 12, Prairieville, Alabama |
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| Area | 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Built | 1853 |
| Architectural style | Carpenter Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000347 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 7, 1973 |
| Designated NHL | November 7, 1973 |
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, often called St. Andrew's Church, is a very old and special building in Prairieville, Alabama. It was built in 1853. This church is a great example of a building style called Carpenter Gothic. It looks like its design came from a book by a famous architect named Richard Upjohn. St. Andrew's Church is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places and became a National Historic Landmark on November 7, 1973. You can visit this historic place!
About St. Andrew's Church
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is located on 3 acres (about 1.2 hectares) of land. It stands on the south side of County Highway 12 in Prairieville. The church is a single-story building made of wood. It has a rectangular shape with two parts sticking out. The roof is very steep and pointed.
The outside of the church has vertical wooden boards. Most of its windows have pointed tops, which is a common feature of the Carpenter Gothic style. The church also has decorative parts that look like buttresses (supports on the outside of a wall). The main part of the church holds the nave, which is where people sit. There is an entrance room on one side and a vestry room (where clergy prepare) on the other. The main entrance has large double doors. These doors have cool, handmade iron hinges. Inside, the church is finished with wood that has a tobacco-colored stain.
A Look Back in Time: History
The church was built in 1853. Enslaved people from church members' homes helped build it. They worked under the guidance of skilled enslaved carpenters. These carpenters came from Henry Augustine Tayloe's nearby Gallion plantation. Later, these carpenters helped form the community of Freetown. Henry Augustine Tayloe was an important person in the Episcopal Church in Alabama. He helped raise money for the church.
It seems the church's design came from a book. The book was called Rural Architecture by the architect Richard Upjohn. The church group started in 1834. This building was their very first church. It was officially made a church in 1858. People from all around, both free and enslaved, came to worship here. After the American Civil War, fewer people lived in the area. Because of this, the church group became smaller. Today, the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama still takes care of the building. Sometimes, church services are still held there.
In 2023, some restoration work was done on the church. Swindal Construction, LLC, did the work after an inspection. The beautiful stained-glass windows above the altar were fixed. Pearl River Glass Studio in Jackson, Mississippi, restored them.
Gallery
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View from the east in 2008
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National Historic Landmark plaque
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St. Andrew's in 1936
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Henry Augustine Tayloe, photograph taken by RW Harrison, Selma, AL
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See also
