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First Unitarian Church (Baltimore, Maryland)
Encyclopedia
The First Unitarian Church in Baltimore, Maryland
was the first building erected for Unitarians
in the United States. Completed in 1818, the church is a domed cube with a stucco exterior. The church, originally called the First Independent Church of Baltimore, is the oldest building continuously used by a Unitarian congregation. The building was designed by Maximilian Godefroy
and built in 1817. Poor acoustics under the central dome led to an 1893 interior renovation, in which architect Joseph Evans Sperry
added a barrel vault
under the dome. The church features stained glass
from the studio of Louis Comfort Tiffany
. The pipe organ
was donated by Enoch Pratt
and is a Niemann instrument.
A relief in the building's pediment was executed by Antonio Cappellano, who had executed the Battle Monument
. Deterioration caused it to be replaced with a replica in 1954.
The building is significant in the history of Unitarianism
as the site of William Ellery Channing
's Baltimore Sermon of May 5, 1819, which laid the foundation for the Unitarian denomination.
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
was the first building erected for Unitarians
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
in the United States. Completed in 1818, the church is a domed cube with a stucco exterior. The church, originally called the First Independent Church of Baltimore, is the oldest building continuously used by a Unitarian congregation. The building was designed by Maximilian Godefroy
Maximilian Godefroy
Maximilian Godefroy was an architect born about 1770 in France. During the French Revolution he fought on the Royalist side, was imprisoned in the fortress of Bellegarde, then released about 1805 and allowed to come to the United States. He later relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, where became an...
and built in 1817. Poor acoustics under the central dome led to an 1893 interior renovation, in which architect Joseph Evans Sperry
Joseph Evans Sperry
Architect Joseph Evans Sperry was born in 1854 in Georgetown, South Carolina. He later relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, where he partnered with James Bosley Noel Wyatt to form the architectural firm Wyatt and Sperry. Their affiliation lasted from 1878 to 1887. The two probably became acquainted...
added a barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
under the dome. The church features 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...
from the studio of 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...
. The pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
was donated by Enoch Pratt
Enoch Pratt
Enoch Pratt was an American businessman in Baltimore, Maryland, a Unitarian, and a philanthropist.-Biography:...
and is a Niemann instrument.
A relief in the building's pediment was executed by Antonio Cappellano, who had executed the Battle Monument
Battle Monument
The Battle Monument, located on Calvert Street between Fayette and Lexington Streets in Baltimore, Maryland, commemorates the Battle of Baltimore and honors those who died during the month of September 1814 during the War of 1812...
. Deterioration caused it to be replaced with a replica in 1954.
The building is significant in the history of Unitarianism
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
as the site of William Ellery Channing
William Ellery Channing
Dr. William Ellery Channing was the foremost Unitarian preacher in the United States in the early nineteenth century and, along with Andrews Norton, one of Unitarianism's leading theologians. He was known for his articulate and impassioned sermons and public speeches, and as a prominent thinker...
's Baltimore Sermon of May 5, 1819, which laid the foundation for the Unitarian denomination.
External links
- First Unitarian Church, Baltimore City, including photo in 1978, at Maryland Historical Trust
- First Unitarian Church, Franklin & Charles Streets, Baltimore, Independent City, MD: 12 photos, 1 data page, at Historic American Building Survey
- History of the Church and Organs