First Presbyterian Church (Napoleon, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
First Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian
church in the city of Napoleon
, Ohio
, United States
. Located at 303 W. Washington Street, it has been recognized as a historic site because of its unusual architecture.
away from the Henry County Courthouse
. Approximately forty years later, the original building was destroyed and the present structure erected on its place; construction began in 1900 and concluded in 1901.
, the church was constructed in the American Craftsman
style. Supported by a foundation of sandstone
and topped with a terracotta roof, the building features walls of sandstone, taken from quarries near Mansfield, Ohio
. Many towers
and gable
s, finished with bargeboard
s, and break up the plane of its roof; among the most distinctive features of the roof is a small steeple that rises through the main tower, creating an appearance similar to that of a beehive
. The interior is lit by multiple large arch windows and a skylight.
Unlike those of many sandstone buildings, the walls of First Presbyterian are built of stones of many different sizes and colors. Combined with the towers and gables of the roofline, the building presents a distinctive appearance; a 1977 survey of historic buildings pronounced the church's architecture unique for northwestern Ohio. Its unusual shapes and colors present a significant contrast to St. Augustine's Catholic Church
, located on the other side of downtown Napoleon: while First Presbyterian includes a broken roofline and the many decorative elements typical of the American Craftsman style, St. Augustine's is a uniform Gothic Revival
structure with a tower 200 feet (61 m) high. First Presbyterian's architecture has led to wider recognition for the church; in 1980, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
because of its architectural significance. Only three other buildings in Henry County
, all of which are in downtown Napoleon, are listed on the Register; no Ohio county has fewer properties on the Register than does Henry County.
. When the presbytery last compiled statistics, the congregation reported 133 members; at that time, it was served by Pastor Gavin Pitt. The congregation owns a parsonage
; located at 304 W. Main Street, near the church building, it is a brick Victorian
house built before the first church building was destroyed.
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
church in the city of Napoleon
Napoleon, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,318 people, 3,813 households, and 2,470 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,668.1 people per square mile . There were 4,066 housing units at an average density of 727.9 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located at 303 W. Washington Street, it has been recognized as a historic site because of its unusual architecture.
Early history
Organized in 1861, the congregation built its first church building on the southwestern corner of the intersection of Washington and Webster Streets, two blocksCity block
A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design. A city block is the smallest area that is surrounded by streets. City blocks are the space for buildings within the street pattern of a city, they form the basic unit of a city's urban fabric...
away from the Henry County Courthouse
Henry County Courthouse (Ohio)
The Henry County Courthouse is an historic courthouse building in Napoleon, Ohio, United States. Designed in the Second Empire style, it was built in 1880 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 1973.-See also:...
. Approximately forty years later, the original building was destroyed and the present structure erected on its place; construction began in 1900 and concluded in 1901.
Architecture
Designed by Harry W. WachterHarry W. Wachter
Harry Wilcox Wachter was an American architect in Toledo, Ohio. He was the local architect involved in the design and construction of the Toledo Museum of Art, working with Edward B. Green's Buffalo, New York firm on the Greek revival building...
, the church was constructed in the American Craftsman
American Craftsman
The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...
style. Supported by a foundation of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and topped with a terracotta roof, the building features walls of sandstone, taken from quarries near Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield, Ohio
Mansfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Richland County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau, approximately southwest of Cleveland and northeast of Columbus....
. Many towers
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
and gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
s, finished with bargeboard
Bargeboard
Bargeboard is a board fastened to the projecting gables of a roof to give them strength and to mask, hide and protect the otherwise exposed end of the horizontal timbers or purlins of the roof to which they were attached...
s, and break up the plane of its roof; among the most distinctive features of the roof is a small steeple that rises through the main tower, creating an appearance similar to that of a beehive
Beehive
A beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
. The interior is lit by multiple large arch windows and a skylight.
Unlike those of many sandstone buildings, the walls of First Presbyterian are built of stones of many different sizes and colors. Combined with the towers and gables of the roofline, the building presents a distinctive appearance; a 1977 survey of historic buildings pronounced the church's architecture unique for northwestern Ohio. Its unusual shapes and colors present a significant contrast to St. Augustine's Catholic Church
St. Augustine's Catholic Church (Napoleon, Ohio)
St. Augustine's Catholic Church is a historic church in Napoleon, Ohio, United States. Located on the edge of the city's downtown, two blocks away from the Henry County Courthouse, the church is a prominent landmark in Napoleon.-History:...
, located on the other side of downtown Napoleon: while First Presbyterian includes a broken roofline and the many decorative elements typical of the American Craftsman style, St. Augustine's is a uniform Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
structure with a tower 200 feet (61 m) high. First Presbyterian's architecture has led to wider recognition for the church; in 1980, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
because of its architectural significance. Only three other buildings in Henry County
Henry County, Ohio
Henry County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,215. Its county seat is Napoleon and is named for Patrick Henry, the Virginian famous for his "give me liberty or give me death" speech....
, all of which are in downtown Napoleon, are listed on the Register; no Ohio county has fewer properties on the Register than does Henry County.
Congregation
First Presbyterian Church is an active part of the Maumee Valley Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
. When the presbytery last compiled statistics, the congregation reported 133 members; at that time, it was served by Pastor Gavin Pitt. The congregation owns a parsonage
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
; located at 304 W. Main Street, near the church building, it is a brick Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
house built before the first church building was destroyed.
Further reading
- Slocum, Charles Elihu. History of the Maumee River Basin. IndianapolisIndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
: Bowen and Slocum, 1905.