Immanuel Episcopal Church on the Green
Encyclopedia
Immanuel Episcopal Church on the Green is a historic church in New Castle
, Delaware
, listed as a contributing property
in the New Castle Historic District. The church is situated near the center of New Castle at the northeast end of the Green, or town common, making it a prominent local landmark and tourist attraction. Operating continuously since 1689, it is the oldest Anglican parish in Delaware and one of the oldest in the country. The church building was constructed between 1703 and 1708 and enlarged in 1822. The interior and roof were rebuilt following a disastrous fire in 1980.
. The first rector was the Rev. George Ross, who served from 1705 to 1708 and then from 1714 to 1754. The church itself was constructed between 1703 and 1708, with the first services taking place there even before the building was completed.
The church gradually fell into disrepair after the American Revolution. In 1820, Philadelphia architect William Strickland
undertook a major renovation and expansion of the building which included a new transept, bell tower, steeple, roof, and interior. The interior was remodeled in the 1850s in the Victorian
style, and again around 1900 in the Colonial Revival
style.
Immanuel Church caught fire on February 1, 1980 when embers from a nearby marsh fire landed on the roof. The roof, steeple, and interior of the building were completely destroyed, leaving only the exterior walls intact. Despite the severe damage, an outpouring of support from around the state that netted more than $2 million made it possible to rebuild the church. Restored to its 1822 appearance, the church was rededicated on December 18, 1982.
listing for the New Castle Historic District describes Immanuel Episcopal Church as a "stuccoed stone, 5 bay, center aisle church with clipped gable roof, and stone and frame spire with clock". The current appearance of the building is mostly due to architect William Strickland, who was responsible for the transept and crenellated tower. The reconstructed roof, steeple, and interior also follow Strickland's design.
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, listed as a contributing property
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...
in the New Castle Historic District. The church is situated near the center of New Castle at the northeast end of the Green, or town common, making it a prominent local landmark and tourist attraction. Operating continuously since 1689, it is the oldest Anglican parish in Delaware and one of the oldest in the country. The church building was constructed between 1703 and 1708 and enlarged in 1822. The interior and roof were rebuilt following a disastrous fire in 1980.
History
Immanuel Church was founded in 1689 as the first Anglican parish in the present-day state of Delaware, which at the time was still part of PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The first rector was the Rev. George Ross, who served from 1705 to 1708 and then from 1714 to 1754. The church itself was constructed between 1703 and 1708, with the first services taking place there even before the building was completed.
The church gradually fell into disrepair after the American Revolution. In 1820, Philadelphia architect William Strickland
William Strickland (architect)
William Strickland , was a noted architect in nineteenth-century Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Nashville, Tennessee.-Life and career:...
undertook a major renovation and expansion of the building which included a new transept, bell tower, steeple, roof, and interior. The interior was remodeled in the 1850s in the Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
style, and again around 1900 in the Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
style.
Immanuel Church caught fire on February 1, 1980 when embers from a nearby marsh fire landed on the roof. The roof, steeple, and interior of the building were completely destroyed, leaving only the exterior walls intact. Despite the severe damage, an outpouring of support from around the state that netted more than $2 million made it possible to rebuild the church. Restored to its 1822 appearance, the church was rededicated on December 18, 1982.
Architecture
The National Register of Historic PlacesNational 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...
listing for the New Castle Historic District describes Immanuel Episcopal Church as a "stuccoed stone, 5 bay, center aisle church with clipped gable roof, and stone and frame spire with clock". The current appearance of the building is mostly due to architect William Strickland, who was responsible for the transept and crenellated tower. The reconstructed roof, steeple, and interior also follow Strickland's design.
Cemetery
Several notable people are interred in the Immanuel Church cemetery:- Gunning Bedford, Sr.Gunning Bedford, Sr.Gunning Bedford, Sr. was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was an officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and a member of the Federalist Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly and as Governor of Delaware...
, Governor of Delaware - C. Douglass BuckC. Douglass BuckClayton Douglass Buck was an American engineer and politician from New Castle Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware. He was a veteran of World War I and a member of the Republican Party, who served two terms as Governor and one term as U. S. Senator from Delaware...
, U.S. Senator - John Lane GardnerJohn Lane GardnerJohn Lane Gardner was a Brigadier General in the US Army.-Biography:He was born in Boston, Massachusetts on August 1, 1793. He entered the United States Army in 1812 as lieutenant of infantry, saw his first active service in Canada, and was wounded at the battle of La Colle Mill, 30 March 1814,...
, general - George Read, signer of the Declaration of Independence
- George B. RodneyGeorge B. RodneyGeorge Brydges Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Whig Party, who served as United States Representative from Delaware.-Early life and family:...
, U.S. Representative - Thomas StocktonThomas StocktonThomas Stockton was an American soldier and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a veteran of the War of 1812, and a member of the Whig Party, who served as Governor of Delaware....
, Governor of Delaware - Nicholas Van Dyke, Sr.Nicholas Van Dyke (governor)Nicholas Van Dyke was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware. He served in the Delaware General Assembly, as a Continental Congressman from Delaware, and as President of Delaware.-Early life and family:Van Dyke was born at Berwick, his family's home in St...
, Governor of Delaware - Nicholas Van Dyke, Jr., U.S. Senator