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Church of the Holy Innocents (Highland Falls, New York)
Encyclopedia
The Church of the Holy Innocents is located on Main Street in Highland Falls
, New York
, USA, not far from the main gate of the United States Military Academy
and right across from the West Point Museum. It is an Episcopal church, established in 1841. The building, designed by Robert Walter Weir
, a Hudson River School
painter then employed as an instructor at the academy, was completed five years later and consecrated
in 1847. The name "Holy Innocents" came from Weir's children, who died young.
It became the popular place of worship for affluent city residents who summered along the Hudson River
. Among them was J. Pierpont Morgan, who funded the construction of the rectory
, a Tudor addition to the church. After his death, his family continued the tradition, endowing a Louis Comfort Tiffany
stained-glass
window depicting Creation
.
The church and its Tudorbethan rectory were listed as Church of the Holy Innocents and Rectory on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982.
, West Point Museum, and other facilities associated with the United States Military Academy
. Main north of the property is largely commercial, but all the other streets immediately adjacent to the church are residential.
Large mature trees shade the landscaped eastern portion of the property. The church is located near the northwestern corner, with a parking lot to the south accessible from Main Street. The rectory is in the southeast corner, just next to the Italian villa-style house at 365 Main Street
, itself listed on the National Register.
The church building is a stone one-story structure with steeply pitched
gable
d roof and flared overhanging eaves. It is oriented northeast-southwest so that the chancel
faces Jerusalem. A crenellated stone tower is located on the north corner. A parish room and sacristy
are located in the extensions along Church Street from the western corner.
A stone porch with an extension projects from the east wing, providing the main entrance. Above the entrance on the wing is a lancet window
, like those flanking the porch and running along the west elevation. On the north profile is a three-part stained glass
window.
The rectory is a two-story house on a stone foundation
faced in stucco
and half-timber. Its multiply gabled roofs have flared, overhanging eaves and exposed rafter
s. On the north facade is a two-story projecting rounded bay
sided in shingles. The main entrance has stained glass sidelights and flanking windows.
Highland Falls, New York
Highland Falls, formerly named Buttermilk Falls, is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,678 at the 2000 census. The village was founded in 1906...
, 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...
, USA, not far from the main gate of the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
and right across from the West Point Museum. It is an Episcopal church, established in 1841. The building, designed by Robert Walter Weir
Robert Walter Weir
Robert Walter Weir was an American artist, best known as an educator, and as an historical painter. He was considered an artist of the Hudson River school, was elected to the National Academy of Design in 1829, and an instructor at the United States Military Academy...
, a Hudson River School
Hudson River school
The Hudson River School was a mid-19th century American art movement embodied by a group of landscape painters whose aesthetic vision was influenced by romanticism...
painter then employed as an instructor at the academy, was completed five years later and consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
in 1847. The name "Holy Innocents" came from Weir's children, who died young.
It became the popular place of worship for affluent city residents who summered along the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. Among them was J. Pierpont Morgan, who funded the construction of the rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
, a Tudor addition to the church. After his death, his family continued the tradition, endowing a Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany
Louis Comfort Tiffany was an American artist and designer who worked in the decorative arts and is best known for his work in stained glass. He is the American artist most associated with the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements...
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...
window depicting Creation
Creation according to Genesis
The Genesis creation narrative describes the divine creation of the world including the first man and woman...
.
The church and its Tudorbethan rectory were listed as Church of the Holy Innocents and Rectory on 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 1982.
Buildings and grounds
The church property is a 17 acres (6.9 ha) lot between Main and Church streets north of Cozzens Avenue. To the west the ground descends slightly to the Thayer HotelThayer Hotel
The Thayer Hotel is a 149-room "Historic Hotel of America" property located 50 miles north of New York City on the banks of the Hudson River at 674 Thayer Road in West Point, New York on the campus of the United States Military Academy...
, West Point Museum, and other facilities associated with the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
. Main north of the property is largely commercial, but all the other streets immediately adjacent to the church are residential.
Large mature trees shade the landscaped eastern portion of the property. The church is located near the northwestern corner, with a parking lot to the south accessible from Main Street. The rectory is in the southeast corner, just next to the Italian villa-style house at 365 Main Street
House at 116 Main Street
The house at 365 Main Street, formerly 116 Main Street in Highland Falls, New York, United States, is an Italian Villa style building dating to the mid-19th century. It may have originally been built as the rectory for the nearby Church of the Holy Innocents.It is considered the most accomplished...
, itself listed on the National Register.
The church building is a stone one-story structure with steeply pitched
Roof pitch
In building construction, roof pitch is a numerical measure of the steepness of a roof, and a pitched roof is a roof that is steep.The roof's pitch is the measured vertical rise divided by the measured horizontal span, the same thing as what is called "slope" in geometry. Roof pitch is typically...
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...
d roof and flared overhanging eaves. It is oriented northeast-southwest so that 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...
faces Jerusalem. A crenellated stone tower is located on the north corner. A parish room and sacristy
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
are located in the extensions along Church Street from the western corner.
A stone porch with an extension projects from the east wing, providing the main entrance. Above the entrance on the wing is a lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
, like those flanking the porch and running along the west elevation. On the north profile is a three-part 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...
window.
The rectory is a two-story house on a stone foundation
Foundation (architecture)
A foundation is the lowest and supporting layer of a structure. Foundations are generally divided into two categories: shallow foundations and deep foundations.-Shallow foundations:...
faced in stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
and half-timber. Its multiply gabled roofs have flared, overhanging eaves and exposed rafter
Rafter
A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members , that extend from the ridge or hip to the downslope perimeter or eave, designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads.-Design:...
s. On the north facade is a two-story projecting rounded bay
Bay (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:...
sided in shingles. The main entrance has stained glass sidelights and flanking windows.
See also
- Hudson Highlands Multiple Resource AreaHudson Highlands Multiple Resource AreaThe Hudson Highlands Multiple Resource Area is a Multiple Property Submission study supporting multiple listings in 1982 to the United States National Register of Historic Places...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Orange County, New York