St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Poughkeepsie, New York) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St. Paul's Episcopal Church
West profile and south elevation, 2008
Religion
Affiliation	Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Leadership	The Rev. Tyler Jones
Year consecrated	1873
Location
Location	Poughkeepsie
Architecture
Architect(s)	Emlen T. Littell
Architectural type	church
Architectural style	Norman-Gothic Revival
General contractor	William T. Harlow
Groundbreaking	1870-1873
Specifications
Direction of façade	South
Capacity	350
Materials	Stone
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Added to NRHP	1982
NRHP Reference no.	82001163
Website
St. Paul's Episcopal Church

St. Paul's Episcopal Church is a beautiful stone church in Poughkeepsie, New York. It was built in the late 1800s. You can find it at North Hamilton and Mansion streets. The church mixes Norman and Gothic Revival styles.

A famous architect named Emlen T. Littell designed the church. Other well-known architects, like Frederick Clarke Withers and Richard Upjohn, later added to and updated the building. Inside, Tiffany & Co. decorated the church in the early 1900s. Because of its history and design, St. Paul's was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Exploring the Church Building

The church building is about one and a half stories tall. It has three sections on its front, or south, side. The outside is made of rough-cut stone. A tall tower, about three and a half stories high, stands at the southeast corner. This tower has a pointed roof called a broach spire.

Windows and Doors

Along the sides of the church, you can see beautiful stained glass windows. These windows are located high up on the walls. The main entrance has heavy wooden doors. They hang on strong metal hinges. Much of the original inside of the church is still there. This includes the wooden parts, furniture, doors, and even the old hardware.

A Look Back at St. Paul's History

St. Paul's Church started with a group of local business people. They first met in September 1835. Two years later, they built their first church. It was a Greek Revival style building. This first church was partly paid for by Trinity Church in New York City. It stood on the same spot where the current church is today.

Early Challenges and Growth

The church faced money problems after the Panic of 1837. This was a tough economic time. In 1842, they even thought about closing. But they kept going! In 1846, they hired Dr. Albert Traver as their rector, or lead pastor. He was a pioneer in diversity. He agreed to the job only if he could keep helping German immigrants in nearby Dutchess County once a month.

Building the Current Church

By 1870, the church community had grown a lot. They decided they needed a bigger building. They hired New York City architect Emlen Littell to design a new one. He created the Norman-Gothic Revival building we see today. It was built using local stone. William Harlow, a former mayor of Poughkeepsie, was the builder. The church was finished and officially opened in 1873. Back then, it was smaller than it is now. It didn't have the south transept, narthex, or bell tower yet.

Adding More to the Church

In 1882, Frederick Clarke Withers designed a new church school building. It was built next to the church. The Parish House property was also added that same year. Ten years later, in 1892, the south transept and a gallery were added. These parts were based on designs by Richard Upjohn.

Inside Decorations and Updates

In the early 1900s, the church focused on its interior. In 1906, they hired Tiffany & Co. to update the sanctuary. This cost $1,850 at the time. By 1911, the work was done. They added a new lectern, pulpit, credence table, and church doors. They also installed electric lighting.

Modern Times and Community Help

The church continued to grow through the 20th century. In 1956, they needed more space for their church school. A new education building was constructed. The old school building from 1882 was taken down in the early 1960s. Today, the new building is used for community programs, like a soup kitchen.

In the 1960s, many people moved out of the city to the suburbs. The church started losing members. A new rector, The Rev. Robert Leather, reached out to people in the city's poorer northern neighborhoods. He let rehabilitation programs use the church's space. He also continued the soup kitchen, which is now called the Lunch Box. In 1979, a church member started a thrift shop in the church's basement. It helped pay for parking lot upkeep. This shop, called Small Blessings, is still open today.

In 2003, a small fire caused some damage to the church. But it was repaired soon after.