Christ Church (Philadelphia)
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Christ Church
(Philadelphia) |
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(2008)
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| Location | 22-26 North 2nd St. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°57′03″N 75°8′38″W / 39.95083°N 75.14389°WCoordinates: 39°57′03″N 75°8′38″W / 39.95083°N 75.14389°W |
| Built | 1727–1744 |
| Architect | unknown, John Kearsley (supervisor) |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| NRHP Reference # | 70000553 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 15, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | April 15, 1970 |
| Designated PHMC | December 17, 1954 |
Christ Church is an Episcopal church in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia. Founded in 1695 as a parish of the Church of England, it played an integral role in the founding of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. In 1785, its rector, William White, became the first Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
From 1754 to 1810, the church's 196-foot (60 m.) tower and steeple was the tallest structure in North America.
Christ Church was founded in 1695 by members of the Church of England, who built a small wooden church on the site by the next year. When the congregation outgrew this structure some twenty years later, they decided to erect a new church, the most sumptuous in the colonies. The main body of the church was constructed between 1727 and 1744, and the steeple was added in 1754, making it the tallest building in North America at the time, at 60 meters. Christ Church is considered one of the nation's most beautiful surviving 18th-century structures, a monument to colonial craftsmanship and a handsome example of Georgian architecture. Modeled on the work in London of Christopher Wren, it features a symmetrical, classical façade with arched windows and a simple yet elegant interior with fluted columns and wooden pews. Although the architect of the church is unknown, its construction was supervised by John Kearsley, a physician, who was likely also responsible for the design, possibly with John Harrison. The church was rebuilt in 1777 by Robert Smith, and the interior was altered in 1883 by Thomas U. Walter.
The baptismal font in which William Penn was baptized is still in use at Christ Church; it was sent to Philadelphia in 1697 from All Hallows-by-the-Tower in London. Another baptismal font and the communion table were crafted by Philadelphia cabinetmaker Jonathan Gostelowe, who served on the vestry in the 1790s.
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