Historic Churches of New York
Worship arrived in America with the first humans hundreds of thousands of years ago. The first temples built, before the arrival of Europeans, are not well known. Religion has played an important role in the history of U.S.A. Much has changed with the arrival of European immigrants.
The first known church in New York City was established in 1626 in a large room on the second floor of a horse-mill, outside the walls of Fort Amsterdam. In April 1628, Jonas Michaëlius was the the first ordained minister to arrive in New Amsterdam, beginning the Reformed Dutch Church in North America. In 1633, the first building was erected in wood as a church, on what is now the north side of Pearl Street, between Whitehall and Broad streets. In 1642, a stone temple was built inside the fort. Later, many other churches have been built in the City. Some of the oldest existing temples were built in the 18th century.
The Trinity Charity School was founded in 1709 and its classes were held in the Church's tower. Later, other churches in New York City established charity schools, including the Dutch and Presbyterian churches.
During the Independence War (1775-1783) some churches were dismantled by the British troops and used for storage, as hospital or as prison. Some were burned in the Great Fire of 1776, like the first temple of Trinity Church.
H.N. Burroughs listed 114 churches in Lower Manhattan in his 1846 map, including 29 Presbyterian, 18 Episcopalian, 18 Methodist, 16 Baptist, 12 Dutch Reformed and 5 Roman Catholic. By 1860, there were over 250 churches in New York City, many occupying temples of real architectural distinction.
Historic Churches in New York City:
• Brick Presbyterian Church, 1st temple, Beekman Street ►
• Brick Presbyterian Church, 2nd temple, Fifth Avenue ►
• Brick Presbyterian Church, 3rd temple, Park Avenue ►
• Calvary Church (Episcopal), Park Avenue South ►
• Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Amsterdam Avenue ►
• Central Presbyterian Church, Park Avenue, at 64th St. ►
• Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion, Governors Island ►
• Church of the Epiphany (Episcopal), Lexington Avenue ►
• Church of the Holy Trinity (2nd temple), Madison Avenue ►
• Church of the Holy Trinity (3rd temple), East 88th Street ►
• Church of the Strangers, Mercer Street and Waverly Place ►
• Church of the Transfiguration, East 29th Street ►
• Dutch Reformed Church, inside the fort ►
• Dutch Reformed Church, Brooklyn ►
• Dutch Reformed Church, Washington Square ►
• Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church at West 55th Street ►
• Fordham Manor Dutch Church, Bronx ►
• Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church at East 22nd Street ►
• Garden Street Church, Garden Street (now Exchange Place) ►
• Grace Church (Episcopal), 2nd temple, 800 Broadway ►
• Lutheran Church on Broadway and Rector Street ►
• Madison Square Presbyterian Church (1854) ►
• Madison Square Presbyterian Church (1906) ►
• Marble Collegiate Church, 5th Avenue at 29th Street ►
• Methodist Church in John Street, old, 18th century ►
• Middle Dutch Church, Nassau and Liberty streets ►
• New Dutch Church, Nassau and Liberty streets ►
• North Dutch Church, Fulton and William streets ►
• Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims, Brooklyn ►
• Riverside Church, Baptist congregation, Riverside Drive ►
• Rutgers Presbyterian Church (old temple), Broadway ►
• South Dutch Reformed Church, 5th Avenue at 21st Street ►
• St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Park Avenue ►
• St. George's Episcopal Church, Stuyvesant Square ►
• St. John's Chapel (parish of Trinity Church), Varick Street ►
• St. Mark's-in-the-Bowery Church, 2nd Avenue. & 11th St. ►
• St. Patrick's Cathedral (Roman Catholic), Fifth Avenue ►
• St. Paul's Chapel (parish of Trinity Church), Broadway ►
• Temple Emanu-El (Synagogue, demolished), Fifth Avenue ►
• Trinity Church, Episcopal Parish, Broadway and Wall Street ►
• Unitarian Church of the Messiah (Community Church) ►
• Zion Church, Madison Avenue and East 38th Street ►
Broadway showing Trinity Church and Grace Church based on drawing by William Strickland (1787-1854), dated 1812. Source: Columbia University.
This is the second temple of Trinity Church, completed in 1790 and demolished, in 1839. Grace Church, old temple on the corner of Broadway and Rector Street, held the first worship service on December 21, 1808. The new building, where the church sits today, was consecrated on March 7, 1846.
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Copyright © Geographic Guide - Old NYC. Vintage Images, Historic Churches. |
Historic Churches of New York
