St. Peter's Church, Philadelphia
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| St. Peter's Church | |
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| (U.S. National Historic Landmark) | |
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| Location: | 3rd and Pine Sts., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1758 |
| Architect: | Robert Smith; William Strickland |
| Architectural style(s): | Georgian |
| Added to NRHP: | June 18, 1996 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 96000969[1] |
| Governing body: | Private |
St. Peter's Church is located on the corner of Third and Pine streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It opened for worship on September 4, 1761 and served as a place of worship for many of the United States founding fathers during the period of the Continental Congresses. The current rector is The Rev. Ledlie Laughlin.
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[edit] Founding and erection
By the mid-1750s, Philadelphia's Christ Church was becoming overcrowded. About 60 parishioners organized themselves into a committee, headed by Colonel Jacob Duché, Sr., to build a new church.
The land used for St. Peter's Church was donated in 1757 by Governor Thomas and Richard Penn, whose family crest can be seen above the pulpit. St. Peter's was designed by Robert Smith, the Scottish-born builder who designed other noted buildings of the day, among them Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia and Nassau Hall at Princeton University. Much of the £5,000 expense needed to build St. Peter's was raised by lottery.
St. Peter's and Christ Church were run jointly until 1832.
[edit] Famous members and interments
Some of the notable people interred in St. Peter's churchyard are: Charles Willson Peale, Stephen Decatur, Vice President George Mifflin Dallas, John Nixon, Captain Gustavus Conyngham, and the Chiefs of Eight Indian Tribes who were stricken with smallpox while visiting Philadelphia in 1793 to meet with President Washington.
George Washington was a regular worshiper and had a pew here during his time spent in Philadelphia for the Continental Congress. [2]
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- ^ Saint Peter's Church
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