St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Manhattan)
Encyclopedia
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, an historic church at 346 West 20th Street between Eighth
and Ninth
Avenues in the Chelsea
neighborhood of Manhattan
, New York City
, began as an outgrowth from the nearby General Theological Seminary
, which had been founded in 1827. After some years in which local residents joined students and faculty from the Seminary for services, it became clear than a new, separate congegation was necessary, and this was organized on May 9, 1831.
Clement Clarke Moore
, whose estate "Chelsea" gave the name to the neighborhood, and who had donated the land of his apple orchard for the Seminary to be built on, leased land to the new congregation – which he later deeded to it – and a Greek revival-style
chapel was built which was consecrated on February 4, 1831. Five years later, builder James W. Smith began constructing the present Gothic revival church
from designs made by Moore, and this present church building was consecrated on February 22, 1838; the chapel became the church's rectory. The third building in the complex is the East Hall, which was constructed beginning in 1854 and had a church-like facade added in 1871. The clock in the church's bell tower was installed in 1888, and it operated without interruption until April 1949, when a hand on one of its faces broke loose.
The East Hall is now used by the Atlantic Theatre Company as their mainstage, the Linda Gross Theatre. The entire church complex is part of the Chelsea Historic District, which was designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
in 1970 and extended in 1981.
St. Peter's also hosts services for the Chelsea Community Church, a non-denominational Christian church.
Eighth Avenue (Manhattan)
Eighth Avenue is a north-south avenue on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City, carrying northbound traffic. Eighth Avenue begins in the West Village neighborhood at Abingdon Square and runs north for 44 blocks through Chelsea, the Garment District, Hell's Kitchen's east end, Midtown and the...
and Ninth
Ninth Avenue (Manhattan)
Ninth Avenue / Columbus Avenue is a southbound thoroughfare on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Traffic runs downtown along its full length...
Avenues in the Chelsea
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
neighborhood of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, began as an outgrowth from the nearby General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
, which had been founded in 1827. After some years in which local residents joined students and faculty from the Seminary for services, it became clear than a new, separate congegation was necessary, and this was organized on May 9, 1831.
Clement Clarke Moore
Clement Clarke Moore
Clement Clarke Moore was an American professor of Oriental and Greek literature at Columbia College, now Columbia University. He donated land from his family estate for the foundation of the General Theological Seminary, where he was a professor of Biblical learning and compiled a two-volume...
, whose estate "Chelsea" gave the name to the neighborhood, and who had donated the land of his apple orchard for the Seminary to be built on, leased land to the new congregation – which he later deeded to it – and a Greek revival-style
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
chapel was built which was consecrated on February 4, 1831. Five years later, builder James W. Smith began constructing the present Gothic revival church
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
from designs made by Moore, and this present church building was consecrated on February 22, 1838; the chapel became the church's rectory. The third building in the complex is the East Hall, which was constructed beginning in 1854 and had a church-like facade added in 1871. The clock in the church's bell tower was installed in 1888, and it operated without interruption until April 1949, when a hand on one of its faces broke loose.
The East Hall is now used by the Atlantic Theatre Company as their mainstage, the Linda Gross Theatre. The entire church complex is part of the Chelsea Historic District, which was designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The Commission was created in April 1965 by Mayor Robert F. Wagner following the destruction of Pennsylvania Station the previous year to make way for...
in 1970 and extended in 1981.
St. Peter's also hosts services for the Chelsea Community Church, a non-denominational Christian church.
Miscellany
- Clement Clarke Moore was an active member of the St. Peter's congregation: at various times he was a warden, a vestryman, and the church organist.
- The wrought-iron fence in front of the church is older than the church and the rectory. It dates from c.1790, and was originally part of the second incarnation of Trinity Church, the primary and oldest Episcopal congregation in New York City at the time. It was moved to St. Peter's sometime in the 1830s.