St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Baltimore, Maryland) facts for kids
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St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church
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Old St. Paul's Church, March 2012
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 Location in Baltimore
Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | 233 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1854 |
| Architect | Upjohn, Richard |
| Architectural style | Basilica style |
| NRHP reference No. | 73002198 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 30, 1973 |
St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church, often called Old St. Paul's Church, is a very old and important Episcopal church. It is located at 233 North Charles Street in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The church is near the downtown area and the historic Mount Vernon-Belvedere neighborhood.
Old St. Paul's was started in 1692. It was one of the first 30 churches of the old Church of England in colonial Maryland. Today, it is part of the Episcopal Church, U.S.A. and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Contents
Church History
Early Beginnings (1600s-1700s)
St. Paul's Church was founded in 1692. This happened because of a law called the Establishment Act. The law was passed by the General Assembly of Maryland when Lionel Copley was the governor. This law created 30 "Protestant" (Anglican) churches in the Maryland colony.
The first church, known as "Patapsco Parish," was located near Colgate Creek. This area is on the north side of the Patapsco River. Later, when Baltimore Town was founded in 1729, the church moved. It moved to "Lot 19," which was a high point on the north side of the new town.
In 1739, a small brick church was built there. It also had a rectory (a home for the priest) and a cemetery. This church overlooked the Jones Falls stream and was near the original Courthouse Square. The current Old St. Paul's Church stands on part of this original land.
A second brick church was finished in 1784. It was blessed by Bishop Thomas John Claggett in 1797. He was the first Episcopal Bishop of Maryland. This second church stood until 1812.
1800s and Beyond
In 1800, many gravestones and bodies from the old cemetery were moved. They went to a new cemetery on the west side of town. This new cemetery is near West Lombard and Fremont Streets. Many soldiers from the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 are buried there. Also, many important leaders from Baltimore and Maryland's early history are buried there.
Many Episcopal churches in Baltimore City and Baltimore County can trace their beginnings back to Old St. Paul's. The first "daughter" church, Christ Church, was started in 1796. Another church, St. Peter's, was created in 1801 after some disagreements. Today, this church is known as Grace and St. Peter's Church.
The third church building for St. Paul's was designed by Robert Cary Long Jr.. It was built around 1812. This building faced west towards Charles Street. It could hold 1,600 people and had a tall spire. Sadly, this church was destroyed by fire in 1854.
The fourth and current church building was finished two years later, in 1856. It was designed by Richard Upjohn. He also designed the famous Gothic Trinity Church in New York City. Upjohn designed St. Paul's to look like the Basilica of San Giorgio in Rome. This design showed a shift towards a "high church" style, focusing more on the altar.
Two rectors (head priests) of Old St. Paul's later became bishops of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. They were The Right Rev. James Kemp and The Right Rev. Harry Lee Doll.
For many years, St. Paul's was known for having the best church music in Baltimore. In 1873, a professional Choir of Men and Boys was started. This choir sang for 141 years! In 2002, a Choir of Girls was also created. Today, a mixed adult choir sings for the main Sunday service.
Church Design and Architecture
The current church building was designed by the famous architect Richard Upjohn. It mixes different styles, with 12th-century Italian elements on the outside and Romanesque elements inside.
The outside of the church has two stone carvings of Christ and Moses. These were made by the Italian sculptor Antonio Capellano. He also sculpted the statue on top of the Battle Monument in Baltimore. Other parts from the earlier 1817 church building were also used. These include some of the walls, a stained glass window of Christ, and a marble baptismal font. The baptismal font was designed by Maximilian Godefroy, who also designed the Battle Monument.
When the church first opened, it had a dark, Victorian look. The columns were painted orange, and the inside had many shades of brown, red, and yellow. A small stained-glass window of St. Paul was above the main altar. The floors had beautiful Minton tiles.
In 1903, the front part of the church (the chancel) was made much brighter. A new Tiffany altar screen was installed. A large stained glass window by Helen Maitland Armstrong was placed above the altar. The old St. Paul window was moved to a different part of the church. The dark colors of the 1850s were replaced with white.
The oldest stained glass windows in the aisles are from 1890. Most were installed when the chancel was redecorated. Some of the designers include Tiffany Studios and Clayton & Bell Studios.
In the 1930s, some of the painted designs were removed. In 2013, the inside of the church was restored. This included painting the main area and adding a blue ceiling with gold stars.
Notable People
Many important people have been members of St. Paul's Church. These include Samuel Chase, John Eager Howard, Thomas Johnson, and William Donald Schaefer. William Donald Schaefer was a mayor of Baltimore and a governor of Maryland.
Historic Recognition
St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it is a very important historic site. It is also part of the Cathedral Hill Historic District and the Baltimore National Heritage Area.
