St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey facts for kids
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New St. Mary's Episcopal Church
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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New St. Mary's Church
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 Location in Burlington County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 145 West Broad Street Burlington, New Jersey |
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| Area | 6.2 acres (2.5 ha) |
| Built | 1846-1854 |
| Architect | Richard Upjohn et al. |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Part of | Burlington Historic District (ID75001124) |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000770 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 31, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | June 24, 1986 |
| Designated CP | March 13, 1975 |
St. Mary's Episcopal Church is a very old and important church in Burlington, New Jersey. It's part of the Episcopal faith. The first church building was built way back in 1703. Later, a new, bigger church was built right next to it in 1854.
This new church is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Then, in 1986, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's one of the most important historical places in the whole country! It's also found within the Burlington Historic District.
Contents
The First Church: A Historic Beginning
In 1695, early settlers bought land in Burlington for a cemetery. A few years later, in 1702, missionaries from England came to New Jersey. One of them, John Talbot, became the leader of St. Mary's Church in 1705. The first church building was finished in 1703.
This church is very important because it was the first and oldest Episcopal church group in all of New Jersey. As more people joined the church, they needed a larger space. So, they decided to build a brand new church.
They asked a famous architect named Richard Upjohn to design it. Construction on the new church began in 1846. It was built on land right next to the old church. The new building was officially opened in 1854.
The New Church: A Grand Design
The New St. Mary's Church was built between 1846 and 1854. It was one of the first churches in the United States to copy a specific old English church style. This style is called Gothic Revival.
The architect, Richard Upjohn, based his design on St. John's Church in Shottesbrooke, England. This project helped make Upjohn very well-known for his Gothic designs. The church is made of large brown stones. It has a very long main hall called a nave.
Above the center of the church is a tall stone spire. Inside the spire are eight bells. These bells were made in England in 1865 by Thomas Mears II. They came from a famous bell factory called the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. Because of its history and design, the church is a National Historic Landmark.
A Fire and Rebuilding
In 1976, something unexpected happened. Workers were fixing up the church when a mistake caused a fire. This fire happened on April 15, 1976, which was Holy Thursday.
The fire caused a lot of damage to the roof and the inside of the church. Many firefighters came to help. They came from Burlington City, Burlington Township, Beverly-Edgewater Park, and Willingboro in New Jersey. Firefighters from Bristol, Pennsylvania, also crossed the bridge to assist. Luckily, the church was later repaired.
Gallery
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Old St. Mary's Church
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New St. Mary's Church
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Church in Shottesbrooke
Important People Buried Here
Many important people from history are buried at St. Mary's Episcopal Church. Here are a few of them:
- Joseph Bloomfield (1753–1823), who was a Governor of New Jersey.
- Elias Boudinot (1740–1821), who was the leader of the Continental Congress from 1782 to 1783.
- William Bradford (1755–1795), who served as the United States Attorney General.
- George Washington Doane (1799–1859), who was the second bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey.
- Isabel Paterson (1886–1961), a well-known author.
- Garret D. Wall (1783–1850), who was a United States Senator.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in New Jersey
- List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey
- St. Mary's Episcopal Church (disambiguation)
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Burlington County, New Jersey
