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Christ Church, Washington Parish (Washington, D.C.)
Encyclopedia
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.
, 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.
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
church located at 620 G Street SE in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, USA.
Built in 1807 in Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
, the church is the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of Washington Parish, created in 1794 by the Maryland General Assembly
Maryland General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland. It is a bicameral body. The upper chamber, the Maryland State Senate, has 47 representatives and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives...
. The church is also called Christ Church, Navy Yard, because of its proximity to the Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...
. 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...
in 1969.
History
Christ Church, established in 1794, was Washington, DC’s first Episcopal parish. Several early U.S. Presidents (MadisonJames Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
, Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
, etc.) worshiped there. The U.S. Marines billeted at their nearby barracks also used the church in the early days. President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
regularly attended services at the old tobacco warehouse church where services were held until 1807, when the present site near the Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...
was donated by William Prout. Although there is some controversy, Benjamin Latrobe
Benjamin Latrobe
Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe was a British-born American neoclassical architect best known for his design of the United States Capitol, along with his work on the Baltimore Basilica, the first Roman Catholic Cathedral in the United States...
, 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
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
, the celebrated bandmaster and march composer. Sousa was married there and was buried in the Church's cemetery, Congressional Cemetery
Congressional Cemetery
The Congressional Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at 1801 E Street, SE, in Washington, D.C., on the west bank of the Anacostia River. It is the final resting place of thousands of individuals who helped form the nation and the city of Washington in the early 19th century. Many members of...
, 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
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
, added in 1849, was used as an observation post during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. 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
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...
, 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 CemeteryCongressional CemeteryThe Congressional Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at 1801 E Street, SE, in Washington, D.C., on the west bank of the Anacostia River. It is the final resting place of thousands of individuals who helped form the nation and the city of Washington in the early 19th century. Many members of...
, also known as Washington Parish Burial Ground