St. Mark's Episcopal Church (West Orange, New Jersey) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
|
|
The former St. Mark's Episcopal Church as seen from Main Street in October 2013.
|
|
 Location in Essex County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 13 Main Street, West Orange, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) |
| Built | 1828 |
| Architect | Upjohn, Richard M. |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000868 |
| Added to NRHP | September 22, 1977 |
St. Mark's Episcopal Church is a historic church building found at 13 Main Street in West Orange, New Jersey. It is located in Essex County, New Jersey. This church is a special example of Gothic Revival architecture.
Over the years, the church building has been home to different groups. After the first church group became smaller, another group called Primera Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Libra de los Oranges used the building. Sadly, a fire on January 1, 2016, badly damaged the outside and destroyed the inside of the building.
Experts have called St. Mark's Church an "outstanding example" of its building style. It was even listed as one of the most endangered historic places in New Jersey in 1996. People say it shows the start and end of a special church building style in the United States.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The first church group, called an Episcopal congregation, started in 1828. It began as a branch of Trinity Parish in Newark, New Jersey. In just a few decades, it grew to be the biggest and richest Episcopal church in the "The Oranges" area of New Jersey.
Building the main church, made of brownstone, began in 1828. A new part was added between 1860 and 1861. This addition included the tall steeple. It is believed that a famous architect named Richard Upjohn designed this part.
Schools and Community
St. Mark's Church did more than just hold services. It also helped the community in other ways. The church started the very first elementary school in West Orange in 1865. Sadly, this school building was destroyed by fire in 1926.
The church also opened the first high school in West Orange. In 1893, nine students graduated from this high school. A new high school building opened in 1898. However, it was also destroyed by fire on February 27, 1913.
Challenges and Changes
The church group did very well until the 1960s. After that, fewer people attended, and it became hard to pay for the building's upkeep. In 1977, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it was recognized as an important historical site.
Even with this recognition, the church and its nearby cemetery started to fall apart. In 2004, the Episcopal Diocese of Newark rented the building to another religious group. This group was called Lamb of God Fellowship. They planned to stay for a long time. But in 2009, they left because it cost too much to keep the property in good shape.
In 2011, an earthquake shook the area. The cross on top of the church became loose and fell to the ground. In early 2015, the Diocese sold the property to a different religious organization.
The Fire and Restoration
On January 1, 2016, a fire started at the church around 5 a.m. The fire burned for three hours. Luckily, no one was hurt in the historic church.
After the fire, the church needed a lot of work. It was later restored by architects Zachary Gidich and David Sepulveda. This work helped bring the historic building back to life.
See also
