St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Jamestown, New York) facts for kids
St. Luke's Episcopal Church is a special church located in Jamestown, New York. It's found at 410 North Main Street in the downtown area. This church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York. It's also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important building with a lot of history!
Contents
Architecture
A Church with Three Lives
St. Luke's Church has actually had three different buildings on the same spot. The very first church was built in 1854. It was designed by a famous architect named Richard Upjohn. The church bought the land for $2,000. This land was at the corner of Main and 4th streets in Jamestown.
The first stone for this church was placed on September 27, 1854. The church was officially ready on May 6, 1856. But sadly, on a Sunday just before Christmas in 1862, a fire broke out. It was caused by a problem with the chimney. Jamestown didn't have a good water system back then. So, the firefighters couldn't stop the flames, and the church burned down.
Rebuilding and a Special Gift
The church community didn't give up! They started rebuilding right away. They used the same foundation and the same building plans as the first church. The first stone for this second church was laid on June 18, 1863.
In January 1890, the church received a very generous gift. A woman named Mary Prendergast left $125,000 in her will. This money was meant to build a new, fireproof stone church. It was built in memory of her daughter, Catherine. The first stone for this new, third church was placed on November 29, 1892.
Design of the Current Church
The church you see today is made of strong, rough-cut Medina sandstone. It combines two old styles of building: Late Gothic Revival and Romanesque Revival. The church was designed by William P. Wentworth. It has a traditional cross shape when viewed from above.
A square bell tower stands at the northeast corner of the church. This tower has a clock on each side. Its corners are rounded and topped with pointy spires. Inside, the church still has its original stained glass windows. These windows show images of lambs. There's also a beautiful arched front with a porch. A large, round Rose Window on the west side has fancy stone patterns. St. Luke's is even being considered for the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame!
In 2017, new stained glass windows were added. These windows were made by Beyer Studio. They are in the Undercroft, which is a lower part of the church. These new windows show the four seasons. They feature plants and animals found in Chautauqua County.
Rectors
- Levi W. Norton (1852–1870)
- James A. Robinson (1870–1874)
- William H. Morrison (1875-1876)
- E. Spruille Burford (1877–1880)
- Theodore M. Bishop (1881–1885)
- Sidney Dealy (1885–1901)
- John T. Kerrin (1901–1909)
- Larid Wingate Snell (1909–1917)
- Reginald Norton Wilcox (1917–1929)
- Lewis E. Ward (1929–1951)
- George O’ Pray (1951–1976)
- Richard Fenn (1977–1999)
- Eric Williams (2000–2012)
- Luke Fodor (2014–present)
Notable Parishioners
Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson
One very famous person who was part of St. Luke's Church was Robert H. Jackson. He became a Justice on the Supreme Court. This is the highest court in the United States! When he was a boy, Robert H. Jackson was confirmed at St. Luke's. He also played the organ there.
When Justice Jackson passed away in October 1954, something very unusual happened. All eight of the other Supreme Court Justices traveled to Jamestown. They came with Justice Jackson's family for his funeral at St. Luke's. This was the only time in history that all the sitting Supreme Court Justices were together in one place outside of Washington, D.C. It shows how important Justice Jackson was, and how special St. Luke's Church was to him.
