- Christ Church, Washington Parish
-
This article is about Christ Church, 620 G Street, S.E., Washington, D.C.. For Christ Church, O Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., see Christ Church (Georgetown, Washington, D.C.).Christ Church
(Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.)
Christ Church, Washington Parish
Location: 620 G Street, S.E.
Washington, D.C.Coordinates: 38°52′53″N 76°59′52″W / 38.88139°N 76.99778°WCoordinates: 38°52′53″N 76°59′52″W / 38.88139°N 76.99778°W Built: 1807 Architect: Latrobe, Henry; Blagden, George Architectural style: Gothic Revival Governing body: Private NRHP Reference#: 69000291[1] Added to NRHP: May 25, 1969 Christ Church — known also as Christ Church, Washington Parish or Christ Church on Capitol Hill — is an historic Episcopal church located at 620 G Street SE in Washington, D.C., USA.
Built in 1807 in Gothic Revival style, the church is the parish church of Washington Parish, created in 1794 by the Maryland General Assembly. The church is also called Christ Church, Navy Yard, because of its proximity to the Washington Navy Yard. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.[1]
Contents
History
Christ Church, established in 1794, was Washington, DC’s first Episcopal parish. Several early U.S. Presidents (Madison, Monroe, etc.) worshiped there. The U.S. Marines billeted at their nearby barracks also used the church in the early days. President Thomas Jefferson regularly attended services at the old tobacco warehouse church where services were held until 1807, when the present site near the Navy Yard was donated by William Prout. Although there is some controversy, Benjamin Latrobe, one of 19th-century America's greatest architects, is generally credited with the design of the present church building. One of Christ Church's more recent members was John Philip Sousa, the celebrated bandmaster and march composer. Sousa was married there and was buried in the Church's cemetery, Congressional Cemetery, which is the unofficial resting place for members of Congress.
The rental of pews provided the parish's chief source of income. Three free pews were regularly reserved: one for the President of the United States; one for the donor of the land, Mr. Prout; and one for the Rector's family. When the first service was held at the new site on August 9, 1807, the church was known only as the "New Church in the Navy Yard." The vestry formally adopted the name "Christ Church" on August 20, 1807. The church's first rectory was built in 1824. The bell tower, added in 1849, was used as an observation post during the Civil War. The present Parish Hall was built in 1874. In 1924, the first rectory was razed and the present one was built on the same site. The Crucifixion window at the end of the chancel, a memorial to mothers, dates from 1927. In 1966, a two-story addition to the Parish Hall was constructed and dedicated to the memory of Rev. Edward Gabler, the priest and rector from 1928 to 1944.
See also
- List of Registered Historic Places in the District of Columbia
- Congressional Cemetery, also known as Washington Parish Burial Ground
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
This article contains information that originally came from US Government publications and websites and is in the public domain.
External links
Categories:- Religious buildings completed in 1807
- 19th-century Episcopal church buildings
- Benjamin Henry Latrobe buildings and structures
- Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
- Episcopal churches in Washington, D.C.
- Gothic Revival architecture in Washington, D.C.
- Religious organizations established in 1794
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
