Zion Memorial Chapel (New Hamburg, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zion Memorial Chapel |
|
|---|---|
Front (east) elevation and south profile, 2008
|
|
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Episcopal Church |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | active |
| Leadership | The Rev. Astrid Joy Storm |
| Year consecrated | 1903 |
| Location | |
| Location | New Hamburg, NY, USA |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Edward Lansing Satterlee |
| Architectural type | chapel |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| General contractor | William O'Rourke |
| Groundbreaking | 1902 |
| Direction of façade | east |
| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Added to NRHP | 1987 |
| NRHP Reference no. | 87000119 |
| Website | |
| St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson | |
The Zion Memorial Chapel, also known as St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson, is a historic church building. It is located in New Hamburg, New York, in the United States. This church was built in 1902. It started as a small chapel for a nearby church called Zion Church. In 1983, it became its own separate church.
This small wooden church sits on a hill overlooking the Hudson River. It was designed in a style called Gothic Revival. Because of its special design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This means it is an important historical place.
Contents
Discover the Church's Design
The church is a one-story building made of wood. It sits on a strong brick base. It looks like many country churches built in the late 1800s. The main part holds the worship area. There are also smaller sections for the front entrance and the altar. The outside walls are covered with brown-stained wood shingles.
Roof and Windows
The roof is very steep and shaped like a cross. It is covered with slate tiles. A small bell tower sits on top. The edges of the roof have pretty decorations. These include carved wood pieces and brackets. The front entrance also has decorative wooden supports.
On the sides of the church, you will see groups of three tall, narrow windows. They have a pointed, Gothic arch shape. These windows are made of clear leaded glass with colorful stained glass borders. At the back of the church, above the altar, there is a round stained-glass window with a flower-like pattern.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church looks almost exactly as it did when it was built. The walls are covered in smooth plaster. Two old-fashioned light fixtures with four globes hang from the ceiling. There are two rows of plain wooden pews, separated by an aisle. Downstairs, in the basement, there is a room used as an office and for storage.
A Look at the Church's History
The Zion Episcopal Church in Wappingers Falls, New York was started in 1876. Its area included New Hamburg. Around 1900, two church members, William Henry Willis and Adele Satterlee, wanted to build a chapel in New Hamburg. This chapel would serve the people living there.
Building the Chapel
Adele Satterlee was related to the main pastor of Zion Church. She suggested that her nephew, Edward Lansing Satterlee, design the new chapel. After President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901, more money was donated for the building. So, they decided to add "Memorial" to the chapel's name.
Changes Over Time
The building has not changed much since it opened in 1902. For many years, both church members and leaders helped take care of it. In 1983, it became its own separate church. As of 2008, about 40 to 50 people attended services there. It is the only old building in New Hamburg still used for its original purpose.
Understanding the Church's Style
The Gothic Revival architectural style was very popular for churches. But by the early 1900s, newer styles like Romanesque Revival were becoming more common. So, Edward Lansing Satterlee's design for Zion Memorial Chapel shows the very last stage of the Gothic Revival style. This style began in the 1840s.
Gothic and Modern Touches
The most important Gothic Revival features are the cross-shaped roof and the pointed lancet windows. Also, the inside of the church, with its plaster and plain wood, is typical of this style. However, Satterlee also added some newer ideas from the late 1800s.
For example, the crisscross wood on the front porch and the shingled walls show influences from the Stick and Shingle styles. The way different materials like brick, wood, and slate are used together on the outside also hints at styles that became popular later in the 20th century.
