St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Lanesborough, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Luke's Episcopal Church
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Lanesborough, Massachusetts |
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| Built | 1836 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000127 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1972 |
St. Luke's Episcopal Church is a very old and special building in Lanesborough, Massachusetts. You can find it on United States Route 7. This church is a great example of Gothic Revival architecture, which was a popular style for buildings in the past. It's one of only two churches built in this style during the 1800s that are still standing in Berkshire County.
The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Today, it's not used as a church anymore. Instead, it's a cozy bed and breakfast and a place where people can hold events.
About St. Luke's Church
St. Luke's Church is on the west side of North Main Street (US 7). This area used to be the main part of Lanesborough a long time ago. The church is a single-story building made from stone. It has a pointed roof and a square tower that sticks out from the front.
The bottom part of the tower is also made of stone. Above the roof, the tower changes to wood. This wooden part has a fancy railing and wooden spires at the corners. Inside this wooden section is a bell tower with two rectangular openings on each side. These openings have pointed arches above them. The very top of the wooden section also has a railing and spires.
The main door to the church is at the bottom of the tower. It's set back in a beautiful marble archway. Most of the windows in the church are also pointed, like arches. There's also a special round window with four leaf-like shapes on the front of the tower.
History of St. Luke's Church
The St. Luke's Episcopalian group started way back in 1767. This makes it the oldest Episcopal church group in western Massachusetts. The church building you see today was built in 1836. The land for the church was given to the group in 1785.
This church is one of only two Gothic Revival churches from the 1800s that are still standing in Berkshire County. There were four such churches built originally. In 1856, lightning struck the church tower! The bell inside the tower was added later, in 1891. The eight wooden spires on the tower were replaced in 1981 to keep the church looking good.
When the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, it still had most of its original features from the 1800s inside. However, the church group had moved to a new building in 1898. That new church was built in a different style and is located in the town center.
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