Fort Street Presbyterian Church (Detroit): Difference between revisions

| captionname = Fort Street Presbyterian Church from the northwest

The '''Fort Street Presbyterian Church''' is located at 631 West Fort Street in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. It was constructed in 1855, and completely rebuilt in 18761877. The church was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1971.<ref name="nris"/><ref name="state"/> Its steeple stands {{convert|265|ft|abbr=on}}, making it one of the [[List of tallest churches in the world|tallest churches]] in the United States.

The lot for the church was purchased from Mr. Shadrack and Mary (Stead) Gillett, whose home was located there prior to the construction of the church.<ref name="Michhist">{{cite book| url=httphttps://books.google.com/books?id=aT0LAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA63&dq=henry+lord%2Bgillett#PPA62,M1&pg=PA62| title=Report of the Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan| publisher=Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan| volume=2| pages=61–62| year=1880| location=Detroit}}</ref> The population of Detroit grew rapidly in the 1830s and 1840s, in particular bringing an influx of [[English American|English]] Protestants to the city. In 1849, Reverend Robert Kellogg organized the Second Presbyterian Church, with 26 charter members.<ref name="det1701">{{cite web| url=http://detroit1701.org/Fort%20Street%20Presbyterian.html| title=Fort Street Presbyterian Church| date=December 2012| publisher=Detroit1701.org| accessdateaccess-date=2014-10-24}}</ref> The congregation met for worship in the old Capitol building until it constructed a church on the corner of Lafayette and Wayne Street the next year.<ref name="fsearly">{{cite web| url=http://fortstreet.org/?page_id=158| title=History| publisher=Fort Street Presbyterian Church| accessdateaccess-date=2014-10-24}}</ref>

However, the building was destroyed by fire in 1876, completely demolishing the interior, destroying the roof, and sending the spire crashing onto Fort Street. The church was rebuilt according to the original [[architectural plan]]s the following year.<ref name="det1701"/> being completed on June 10, 1877.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Farmer |first1=Silas |title=All about Detroit |publisher=[[University of Michigan]] |page=219 }}</ref> Another major fire in 1914 again destroyed the roof,<ref name="fsearly"/> but the church was again rebuilt, and it remains as it had been designed by the Jordan brothers in the mid-1850s.<ref name="det1701"/> Upon completion, the current church with its steeple at {{convert|265|ft|abbr=on}} ranked as the [[List of tallest buildings in Michigan|tallest building]] in the city and state from 1877 to 1909, and is among the [[List of tallest churches in the world|tallest churches]] in the United States.

The Fort Street Presbyterian Church is an ornately detailed [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] structure built of limestone ashlar from [[Malden, Ontario]]. The facade features a {{convert|265|ft|m}} tall square tower with spire on one side with a shorter octagonal turret (modeled after [[King's College Chapel]] in Cambridge) on the other.<ref name="det1701"/><ref name=skyscraper>{{cite web|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=42545| title=Fort Street Presbyterian Church| accessdateaccess-date=2007-11-05| publisher=SkyscraperPage.com}}</ref> A central stained glass window illuminates the sanctuary. There are seven bays along the side of the church with flying buttresses, crocketed finials, lacy stonework and tall windows, designed to give the impression of lightness.<ref name="det1701"/>

The interior of the sanctuary features a three-aisle nave and a horseshoe balcony capable of seating almost 1,000 people. The pews are of hand-carved black walnut and the baptismal font is constructed of [[Caen stone]], supported by [[onyx]] columns imported from Mexico.<ref name="det1701"/> Tiles dotting the stone floor are early works of [[Mary Chase Perry Stratton]], founder of [[Pewabic Pottery]].<ref name=fsfac>{{cite web| title=Facility| url=http://fortstreet.org/?page_id=52| publisher=Fort Street Presbyterian Church| accessdateaccess-date=2014-10-24}}</ref> The solid brass [[Eagle lectern|lectern, in the shape of an eagle]], was exhibited at the 1893 [[World's Columbian Exposition]] in [[Chicago]].

The church organ was builtby in 1914 by Wangerian-Weickhardt, and contains 3,253 pipes ranging in length from 1/4&nbsp;inch to 16 feet. It incorporates a small portion of the original 1855 organ.<ref name="fsfac"/>

The Fort Street Presbyterian Church exemplifies an important step in the rise of "revivalist" architecture in 19th-century America. American architects of the mid-19th century imported and re-interpreted the English [[Gothic Revival]] style, based on the visually lush details of Medieval cathedrals. The American architects copied the "Gothic" elements and combined them with simple building plans to create an American architectural style known as "[[Victorian Gothic]]". The Jordan brothers subscribed to this ethic, and their Fort Street Presbyterian Church, as well as being one of Michigan's oldest churches, is a premier example of Victorian Gothic architecture. The church has remained essentially unchanged despite fires there in 1877 and 1914.<ref name="det1701"/><ref name="nps">{{cite web| url=http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/detroit/d18.htm| title=Fort Street Presbyterian Church| publisher=[[National Park Service]]| accessdateaccess-date=2014-10-24}}</ref>

In the early 20th century, the church began focusing more on social service programs, as people of more modest incomes moved into the surrounding, formerly aristocratic, area.<ref name="fswar">[http://www.fortstreet.org/Facility/History/warandturmoil.html War and Turmoil] from Fort Street Presbyterian Church {{deadwebarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011120248/http://www.fortstreet.org/Facility/History/warandturmoil.html link|date=October 201411, 2008 }}</ref> In 1908, James Joy donated property adjoining the church, and Mrs. Oren Scotten gave $50,000 to pay for the construction of the Church House. This enabled the church to minister to the newer congregants, and the church used the gymnasium in the Church House as a kind of "health club," enrolling men, women, and children in gym classes. The church also sponsored one of the first [[Boy Scouts of America|Boy Scout]] troops west of the Alleghenies.<ref name="fstrib">[http://www.fortstreet.org/Facility/History/tribulations.html Tribulations] from Fort Street Presbyterian Church {{deadwebarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121143606/http://www.fortstreet.org/Facility/History/tribulations.html link|date=OctoberNovember 21, 2007 2014}}</ref>

*{{cite book| url=httphttps://books.google.com/books?id=lCb16WfegR8C| first=Dana Lee| last=Robert| title=Occupy Until I Come: A.T. Pierson and the Evangelization of the World| publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing| pages=53–61| date=1 June 2003| isbn=978-0802807809| quote= Pierson served as pastor Fort Street Presbyterian beginning in 1869}}

[[Category:Churches in Detroit, Michigan]]

[[Category:Properties of religious functionChurches on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan]]

[[Category:19th-century Presbyterian church buildings in the United States]]