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All Saints' Chapel (Rosendale, New York)
Encyclopedia
The Rosendale Library, formerly the All Saints' Chapel, is located on Main Street (NY 213
) in Rosendale
, New York
, United States
. It was originally built as a Gothic Revival Episcopal church from locally mined Rosendale cement
, a material which covers the stonework
exterior walls.
After flood
s from nearby Rondout Creek
damaged the building in the mid-1950s, the church abandoned it. It also survived a fire
in the mid-1970s. A newly formed local library
district was created to restore it for use as a library. In 1986 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
building with a rectangular chancel
. Its walls are uncoursed
cement rock rubble laid in Rosendale cement, with some embellishments and flourishes
at windows and doors. A fire
in the mid-1970s required the replacement of much of the original interior decoration, although the original wood ceiling is intact. All but two of the stained-glass
windows had to be replaced as well. The building was designed to hold 150 people.
On the exterior, the most prominent feature is the steeply pitched gable
decorated with a scroll-sawn
triangular insert with a central quatrefoil
and three surrounding trefoil
s. The slate
roof tiled in a decorative pattern of scallops and flowers. A small entrance vestibule
and vestry
are located on opposite ends of the east wall. On the west is a hexagonal spire
paneled
in a simple Gothic motif down at the base and louver
ed at the top, and a four-by-two-bay, architecturally sympathetic wing added in the 1970s, not considered contributing
due to its lack of age.
in the late 1820s triggered rapid growth in Rosendale, as in other communities along its route. In 1874, St. Peter's Episcopal Church in nearby Stone Ridge
established St. John's Mission to serve worshippers there, and within two years it had grown enough to warrant its own chapel
. Two thousand dollars was raised, and the building was built in 1877. The name of the mission was changed to All Saints'.
In 1893 the mission became a parish
in its own right, sponsoring missions of its own in the smaller nearby communities of Bloomingdale
and Rifton
for periods of the early 20th century. In 1956, flooding in the wake of Hurricane Flossy
did enough damage to the church that it had to be abandoned, and the parish was dissolved.
Andrew Snyder, a local descendant of the family that had first made a fortune from the cement, bought the building in 1957. He told the local women's club he would donate it for use as a library if they organized it. The club's members formed the Rosendale Library Association, and after restorations and improvements the chapel reopened as the library in 1959.
A 1975 fire
damaged the building somewhat, and the original interior finishings and all but two of the stained-glass windows had to be removed and replaced. As part of the repair work, a west wing that had been planned when the building was originally acquired was added.
In the 1980s, after the property was listed on the Register, the New York State Legislature passed legislation, signed by then-governor Mario Cuomo
, permitting the creation of a special library district. Voters in Rosendale approved its creation in 1987 and it received its charter from the state Board of Regents two years later.
Work continues on the library building itself. In the 2000s the district obtained a $75,000 state grant to repair the slate roof, and it is currently raising the money required to match
it.
styles of churches built by congregants of English descent
in the Hudson Valley
. Embedded shells in the exterior, and other touches, suggest the Venetian Gothic stylings written about and championed by John Ruskin
.
The most unusual aspect of the building's architecture is the exterior finish. The rubblestone, normally left bare in such structures, was instead covered over with Rosendale cement, suggesting a desire to showcase a locally produced building material that had made many residents and congregants prosperous.
New York State Route 213
New York State Route 213 is a state highway located entirely in Ulster County. It runs from the eastern Catskills to downtown Kingston....
) in Rosendale
Rosendale Village, New York
Rosendale Village is a hamlet and census-designated place within the town of Rosendale in Ulster County, New York, United States, with a population of roughly 1,500 people...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was originally built as a Gothic Revival Episcopal church from locally mined Rosendale cement
Rosendale cement
Rosendale cement refers to a type of natural cement produced in and around Rosendale, New York from argilaceous limestone. The fast-setting Rosendale natural cement mortars proved to be more efficient than the traditional mortars based on lime and sand...
, a material which covers the stonework
Stonemasonry
The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures...
exterior walls.
After flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
s from nearby Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek
Rondout Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River in Ulster and Sullivan counties, New York, USA. It rises on Rocky Mountain in the eastern Catskills, flows south into Rondout Reservoir, part of New York City's water supply network, then into the valley between the Catskills and the Shawangunk...
damaged the building in the mid-1950s, the church abandoned it. It also survived a fire
Structure fire
A structure fire is a fire involving the structural components of various residential buildings ranging from single-family detached homes and townhouses to apartments and tower blocks, or various commercial buildings ranging from offices to shopping malls...
in the mid-1970s. A newly formed local library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
district was created to restore it for use as a library. In 1986 it was added to 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...
.
Building
The chapel is a one-story two-by-five-bayBay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
building with a rectangular chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. Its walls are uncoursed
Course (architecture)
A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall. The term is almost always used in conjunction with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete masonry units .-Styles:...
cement rock rubble laid in Rosendale cement, with some embellishments and flourishes
Ornament (architecture)
In architecture and decorative art, ornament is a decoration used to embellish parts of a building or object. Large figurative elements such as monumental sculpture and their equivalents in decorative art are excluded from the term; most ornament does not include human figures, and if present they...
at windows and doors. A fire
Structure fire
A structure fire is a fire involving the structural components of various residential buildings ranging from single-family detached homes and townhouses to apartments and tower blocks, or various commercial buildings ranging from offices to shopping malls...
in the mid-1970s required the replacement of much of the original interior decoration, although the original wood ceiling is intact. All but two of the stained-glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows had to be replaced as well. The building was designed to hold 150 people.
On the exterior, the most prominent feature is the steeply pitched 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...
decorated with a scroll-sawn
Scroll saw
A scroll saw is a small electric or pedal-operated saw that is useful for cutting intricate curves in cases where a jigsaw or coping saw is not appropriate. It is capable of creating curves with edges...
triangular insert with a central quatrefoil
Quatrefoil
The word quatrefoil etymologically means "four leaves", and applies to general four-lobed shapes in various contexts.-In heraldry:In heraldic terminology, a quatrefoil is a representation of a flower with four petals, or a leaf with four leaflets . It is sometimes shown "slipped", i.e. with an...
and three surrounding trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
s. The slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof tiled in a decorative pattern of scallops and flowers. A small entrance vestibule
Vestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
and vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
are located on opposite ends of the east wall. On the west is a hexagonal spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
paneled
Panelling
Panelling is a wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials....
in a simple Gothic motif down at the base and louver
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
ed at the top, and a four-by-two-bay, architecturally sympathetic wing added in the 1970s, not considered contributing
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
due to its lack of age.
History
The opening of the Delaware and Hudson CanalDelaware and Hudson Canal
The Delaware and Hudson Canal was the first venture of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, which later developed the Delaware and Hudson Railway...
in the late 1820s triggered rapid growth in Rosendale, as in other communities along its route. In 1874, St. Peter's Episcopal Church in nearby Stone Ridge
Stone Ridge, New York
Stone Ridge is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 1,173 at the 2000 census.Stone Ridge is located in the Town of Marbletown, along US 209 where it overlaps NY 213.-Geography:...
established St. John's Mission to serve worshippers there, and within two years it had grown enough to warrant its own chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
. Two thousand dollars was raised, and the building was built in 1877. The name of the mission was changed to All Saints'.
In 1893 the mission became a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in its own right, sponsoring missions of its own in the smaller nearby communities of Bloomingdale
Bloomingdale, New York
Bloomingdale is a hamlet located in the town of St. Armand, Essex County in the State of New York in the United States of America. It is located at . The United States Postal Service has assigned Bloomingdale the ZIP Code 12913.-History:...
and Rifton
Rifton, New York
Rifton is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 501 at the 2000 census.Rifton is near the west town line of the Town of Esopus on Route 213.-History:...
for periods of the early 20th century. In 1956, flooding in the wake of Hurricane Flossy
Hurricane Flossy (1956)
Hurricane Flossy originated from a tropical disturbance in the eastern Pacific Ocean and moved across Central America into the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical depression on September 21, which became a tropical storm on September 22 and a hurricane on September 23...
did enough damage to the church that it had to be abandoned, and the parish was dissolved.
Andrew Snyder, a local descendant of the family that had first made a fortune from the cement, bought the building in 1957. He told the local women's club he would donate it for use as a library if they organized it. The club's members formed the Rosendale Library Association, and after restorations and improvements the chapel reopened as the library in 1959.
A 1975 fire
Structure fire
A structure fire is a fire involving the structural components of various residential buildings ranging from single-family detached homes and townhouses to apartments and tower blocks, or various commercial buildings ranging from offices to shopping malls...
damaged the building somewhat, and the original interior finishings and all but two of the stained-glass windows had to be removed and replaced. As part of the repair work, a west wing that had been planned when the building was originally acquired was added.
In the 1980s, after the property was listed on the Register, the New York State Legislature passed legislation, signed by then-governor Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo
Mario Matthew Cuomo served as the 52nd Governor of New York from 1983 to 1994, and is the father of Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York.-Early life:...
, permitting the creation of a special library district. Voters in Rosendale approved its creation in 1987 and it received its charter from the state Board of Regents two years later.
Work continues on the library building itself. In the 2000s the district obtained a $75,000 state grant to repair the slate roof, and it is currently raising the money required to match
Matching donations
A matching gift, also known as a matching fund or matching donation is a charitable gift made toward a non-profit organization by a matching donor under the provision that an original donor first makes a gift toward that organization.-Typical procedure:As an example scenario, an employee of a...
it.
Aesthetics
The church's basic design, with its thick walls and lancet windows, is consistent with the English country churches that first used the Gothic Revival style. The arches and brick surrounds of the windows are also consistent with the vernacularVernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
styles of churches built by congregants of English descent
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
in the Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
. Embedded shells in the exterior, and other touches, suggest the Venetian Gothic stylings written about and championed by John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
.
The most unusual aspect of the building's architecture is the exterior finish. The rubblestone, normally left bare in such structures, was instead covered over with Rosendale cement, suggesting a desire to showcase a locally produced building material that had made many residents and congregants prosperous.