St. Michael's Anglican Church (Charleston, South Carolina) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

St. Michael's Anglican Church (formerly St. Michael's Episcopal Church)
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. National Historic Landmark District Contributing Property

St. Michael's Anglican Church (formerly St. Michael's Episcopal Church)
Location in South Carolina Show map of South Carolina Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	71 Broad St., Charleston, South Carolina
Built	1751–1761
Built by	Samuel Cardy
Architectural style	Georgian
Part of	Charleston Historic District (ID66000964)
NRHP reference No.	66000704
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966
Designated NHL	October 9, 1960
Designated NHLDCP	October 9, 1960

St. Michael's Anglican Church is a very old and important church in Charleston, South Carolina. It's the oldest church building still standing in the city! You can find it at the corner of Broad and Meeting streets. This spot is special because it's one of the "Four Corners of Law," meaning important buildings for different types of laws are there. St. Michael's represents church law. The church was built in the 1750s after the leaders of South Carolina decided it was needed. Today, it's recognized as a National Historic Landmark, which means it's a really important historical place in the United States.

History of St. Michael's Church
- Building the Church
- Church Features
Church Family and Affiliation
Clock and Bells
Gallery
See also

History of St. Michael's Church

Inside the church

St. Michael's Church was built between 1751 and 1761. It stands where an even older wooden church once was, built in 1681. That first church was damaged in a big storm in 1710. A new church, St. Philip's, was then built a few blocks away. What was left of the old wooden church was taken down in 1727.

Many famous people have visited St. Michael's. When President George Washington came to Charleston in 1791, he attended church here. General Robert E. Lee, a well-known figure from the American Civil War, also worshipped at St. Michael's.

Building the Church

No one knows for sure who designed St. Michael's Church. However, its design looks a lot like St. Martin-in-the-Fields, a famous church in London. That church was designed by James Gibbs in the 1720s. Samuel Cardy was the builder who made St. Michael's a reality.

The church walls are made of brick, which were then covered with a smooth, white plaster called stucco. The front of the church has a large, two-story porch with tall columns. This was the first porch of its kind in colonial America! These columns are in a simple, strong style called Tuscan.

Between 1754 and 1760, a lot of detailed wood carving was added to the church. A Charleston artist named Henry Burnett created these beautiful decorations. This included fancy moldings, many small, block-like decorations called modillions, and carved flowers.

Church Features

An organ was installed in the church in 1768. While the original organ is no longer there, its beautiful wooden case remains. A new organ was put in place in 1994.

The church has several stunning stained glass windows. In the north wall, there's a window given to the church in 1898. It shows a scene called "Easter Morning" and has thousands of pieces of colored glass. It was made by Louis Lederlie for Tiffany Studios, a very famous company. Louis Tiffany himself worked on other decorations in the church in 1905.

Another stained glass window is in the chancel, which is the area near the altar. This window shows St. Michael defeating Satan. It's based on a famous painting by Raphael. This window was made in New York and put in the church in 1893. Interestingly, this spot was originally a window opening, but it was closed up in 1788 to help prevent fires from spreading. During the Civil War in 1865, the wall was damaged by shelling, and the old window opening became visible again.

St. Michael's Church was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961. It was also one of the first places added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Right next to the church is St. Michael's Churchyard. This is a historic cemetery where many important people are buried. This includes two people who signed the U.S. Constitution.

Church Family and Affiliation

St. Michael's Church was first part of the Church of England. After the American Revolution, the church became part of what is now the Episcopal Church in the United States.

Today, St. Michael's is a parish church of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. In 2012, there were some disagreements about beliefs and church rules. Because of this, the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina separated from the larger Episcopal Church. It then became known as the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. In June 2017, this diocese, including St. Michael's, joined the Anglican Church in North America. The church continues to follow Anglican traditions and ways of worship.

Clock and Bells

The church tower holds a special clock and a set of bells that have been there since colonial times. The clock strikes the hours and quarter hours. It was made by a company called Aynsworth Thwaites.

The church's tower bells are one of only a few sets in the Charleston area. These bells were first made in London in 1764. They were then recast, or melted down and reshaped, in London again in 1866. One bell even had to be sent back to London in 1870 to be recast again.

Gallery

This view of the church from the late 1800s is no longer possible today.
The Rector's Kitchen and View of St. Michael's, a painting by Alice Ravenel Huger Smith, around 1910–1915.
St. Michael's Church in 1919.
A view of St. Michael's Church.
The church graveyard, where important people like jurist John Rutledge are buried.