St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Albany, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Peter's Episcopal Church |
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South (front) elevation, 2011
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Episcopal Church |
| Leadership | Fr. Paul Hartt, rector |
| Location | |
| Location | 105 State Street Albany, New York |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Richard Upjohn and Richard M. Upjohn |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | French Gothic Revival |
| Founder | The Rev. Thomas Barclay |
| Groundbreaking | 1859 |
| Completed | 1876 |
| Construction cost | $61,532.07 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | South |
| Length | 136 feet (41 m) |
| Width | 68 feet (21 m) |
| Height (max) | 64 feet (20 m) |
| Spire(s) | 2 |
| Spire height | 180 feet (55 m) |
| Materials | Stone |
| U.S. National Historic Landmark | |
| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 72000817 |
| Designated as NHL | January 16, 1980 |
| Website | |
| St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church | |
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, also known as St. Peter's Church, is a historic church in downtown Albany, New York. It was designed in the mid-1800s by famous architects Richard Upjohn and his son Richard M. Upjohn. The church is built in the French Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like old French cathedrals.
St. Peter's Church is very important historically. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Eight years later, it became a National Historic Landmark, a special title for places that are very important to American history. It's also part of the Downtown Albany Historic District, a neighborhood with many old and important buildings.
The church started way back in 1715, thanks to Queen Anne of Great Britain. The church still has a special silver set for communion that she gave them. It was the first Anglican church north of New York City and west of the Hudson River.
The first church building was put up soon after 1715. In 1758, a British leader named George Howe, 3rd Viscount Howe, was buried there. He died while fighting in the French and Indian War. His grave is still in the church today, making him the only British noble buried in the United States. The current church building was finished in 1876.
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Exploring St. Peter's Church Building
St. Peter's Church is located in a busy part of downtown Albany. It sits on the northwest corner of State and Lodge streets. The area around the church has many other old and important buildings. For example, the state capitol building and Albany City Hall are nearby.
What Does St. Peter's Church Look Like from the Outside?
The church walls are made of a blue-gray stone called bluestone from Schenectady, New York. The decorative parts are made of sandstone from New Jersey. There are smaller sections with slanted roofs on each side of the main building. A tall, square tower rises from the southeast corner. Next to it, a narrow, 180-foot-tall octagonal (eight-sided) tower holds a spiral staircase. At the back, there's a small octagonal area called the chancel.
The outside of the church has many decorations that show its French Gothic style. The main entrance has a small porch with a pointed top and a round window. This window is called a rosette. At the corners, there are tall, eight-sided stone spires.
Higher up, there are four narrow, pointed windows, typical of Gothic churches. Above these, there's a large rosette window and a smaller pointed window at the very top. The roof has a decorative edge and is covered in slate shingles. It also has five gabled dormer windows on each side.
The Bell Tower: A Closer Look
The church's main tower has five levels. The lower levels have single, narrow, pointed windows. The fourth level has three small windows set back behind columns and arches. The top level has tall, narrow vents for the bells.
The bell tower is 30 feet tall and holds six tons of bells. The three pointed windows on its sides are separated by decorated columns. Above these, a detailed decorative band sits below the 8-foot-tall top wall. This wall has arched openings. Three large stone gargoyles, each weighing 3 tons, stick out from the corners. These gargoyles are like decorative waterspouts. The corners of the tower also have smaller square towers with tiny versions of the main tower's design.
The tall, eight-sided spire on the southeast side of the church has similar windows to the upper parts of the main tower. At its very top, it has a pointed hood. The cone-shaped roof ends in a double Dutch cross, which is 60 feet above the rest of the tower.
What Does St. Peter's Church Look Like Inside?
The inside of the church is decorated with dark wood, called black walnut. Near the main entrance, at the base of the bell tower, is a special room called a columbarium. It has a beautiful mosaic floor designed by Jacob Adolphus Holzer with religious patterns. The main area, called the nave, has aisles on both sides. It's decorated with flags from the Episcopal Church and flags that show the history of the church and Albany. There's also a smaller chapel called St. Mark's Chapel for smaller services.
Along the walls of the curved area at the back of the church, called the apse, there are six stained glass windows. Each window shows two angels at the top and a scene from the life of St. Peter below. There are also smaller windows in the aisles.
In the chancel, the area around the altar, a brass rail separates the choir from the rest of the seating. The altar is made of a light-colored stone called Caen stone and is raised seven steps. Behind the altar, a stone screen called a reredos shows two angels praying in front of a cross. Above them, another cross sits on top of the reredos.
On one side, there's a small table called a credence table, also made of Caen stone. On the other side, the pulpit, where sermons are given, rises from a room below the church. It's made of red sandstone in a style called Venetian Gothic. In the middle, the lectern, where readings are done, looks like an angel standing on a globe.
A Brief History of St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church has had three different buildings over its long history.
The First Church: 1701–1803
After the British took control of Albany from the Dutch in 1664, they started to establish their presence. In 1701, the Church of England created a group to help spread its religion in the colonies. One of their missionaries, Reverend Thomas Barclay, came to Albany in 1704. He aimed to reach the Iroquois tribes and the British soldiers. Soon, he started Albany's first Anglican church community.
By 1710, Barclay reported that his efforts were working. He wrote that many Dutch children were learning English and the church's teachings. In 1712, Queen Anne sent the church a special silver communion set. Barclay then began looking for land to build a church.
In 1714, the governor gave Barclay permission to raise money for the church. The governor even donated all the stone and lime needed. People in Albany gave £200, and almost everyone in Schenectady contributed.
A spot was chosen near the old fort. However, construction was delayed because the city council argued that the land belonged to the city. Despite these issues, the small stone church with a gambrel roof was finished and opened in 1717. It was the first Anglican church west of the Hudson River and north of New York City.
Reverend Barclay served as the church's leader until the mid-1720s. In 1731, the church was damaged by a fire but was quickly repaired. In 1738, Thomas Barclay's son, Henry, became the new rector.
In 1749, a Swedish botanist named Peter Kalm visited Albany and mentioned St. Peter's as one of the city's important buildings. Two years later, a steeple was added to the church.
During the French and Indian War in the 1750s, Albany faced threats. In 1758, Lord Howe, a British commander, was killed in battle. His body was brought back to Albany and buried at St. Peter's. He is buried in a vault under the steps of the current church. He is the only British noble buried in the United States.
After the war ended in 1763, Albany began to grow. St. Peter's received an official charter from King George III. After the American Revolutionary War, the church was re-chartered by the New York State Legislature. In 1790, the church traded its land with the city, moving one block west to where the current church stands.
The Second Church: 1803–1859
After almost 100 years, the first church was too small. A new building was designed by Philip Hooker in the Federal style. It was started in 1802 and finished in 1803, costing about $26,767. The church had to sell some land to pay for it. In 1822, they started looking for someone to build a steeple.
From 1833 to 1854, Horatio Potter was the church's rector. In 1854, he became the new bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of New York. His special ceremony took place at St. Peter's.
In 1812, the church got its first organ. In 1835, they bought a new, larger organ for $3,000. In 1840, the church leaders thought about building another church for workers near the waterfront, but it seems this idea didn't happen.
The Third and Current Church: 1860–Present
By the late 1850s, the second church building was having problems. So, a new design was ordered from Richard Upjohn, who was famous for bringing the Gothic Revival style to Episcopal churches. He worked with his son, Richard M. Upjohn, to create a design with a distinct French Gothic feel.
The old church was taken down in 1859. Construction on the new church began right away. The building cost $61,532 and was opened in 1860. The old organ was moved to another church, and a new one was built for St. Peter's.
In 1868, the new Episcopal Diocese of Albany chose William Croswell Doane, who was the rector of St. Peter's, to be their bishop. He was consecrated at St. Peter's in 1869. Bishop Doane then focused on building a large cathedral for the new diocese, which became All Saints' Cathedral, built a few blocks away. The current rector of St. Peter's is Paul Hartt.
When the church was first finished, its tower was only 56 feet tall with a temporary roof. In 1875, a gift from a parishioner's family made it possible to complete the tower. The younger Upjohn finished the design. This gift also paid for the bells, which were made in nearby Troy, New York. Later, the chancel area was expanded, and a new altar and reredos were added, designed by Upjohn and featuring angels sculpted by Louis Saint-Gaudens.
In 1885, beautiful stained glass windows made by London designers Clayton & Bell were installed.
Church Services and Programs
St. Peter's Church offers Holy Communion services on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. A later Sunday service alternates between Communion and Morning Prayer. Sunday school for children is also held at the same time.
The church has a 40-member choir for both children and adults. The children in the choir attend the church's choir school. They receive training and lessons every week and sing during services. Their music covers over 500 years of history. Several times a season, the choir performs major musical pieces, sometimes with an orchestra. The choir has even traveled to England to perform.
The church also has various ministries, including groups that help with the altar and flowers, and Sunday school teachers. Volunteers from the church community also help with services as lay eucharistic ministers, readers, and ushers. St. Peter's Church also works with other Albany churches to provide a homeless shelter during the winter.
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