Fort Street Presbyterian Church (Detroit): Difference between revisions

 

== Early history ==

The lot for the church was purchased from Mr. Shadrack and Mary (Stead) Gillett, whose home was located there prior to the contsruction of the church.<ref name="Michhist">[http://books.google.com/books?id=aT0LAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA63&dq=henry+lord%2Bgillett#PPA62,M1]''Michigan Historical Collections,''Published by the Michigan Historical Commission, 1880.</ref> The population of Detroit grew rapidly in the 1830s and 1840s, in particular bringing an influx of English Protestants to the city.<ref name = "det1701">[http://detroit1701.org/Fort%20Street%20Presbyterian.html Fort Street Presbyterian Church] from Detroit1701.org</ref> In 1849, the Reverend Robert Kellogg organized the Second Presbyterian Church, which had 26 charter members at that time.<ref name = "det1701"/> The congregation met for worship in the old Capitol building until they a church was constructed on the corner of Lafayette and Wayne the next year.<ref name = "fsearly">[http://www.fortstreet.org/Facility/History/earlyhistory.html Early History] from Fort Street Presbyterian Church </ref>

 

The interior of the Fort Street Presbyterian Church features a three-aisle nave and a horseshoe balcony capable of seating almost 1,000 people.<ref name = "det1701"/> The pews are of hand-carved black walnut.<ref name = "fsfac"/> The baptismal font is constructed of [[Caen stone]], supported by [[onyx]] columns imported from Mexico.<ref name = "det1701"/> The solid brass lectern, in the shape of an eagle, was exhibited in 1893 at the [[Chicago World's Fair]].<ref name = "fsfac"/> Tiles dotting the stone floor are early works of [[Mary Chase Perry Stratton]], founder of [[Pewabic Pottery]].<ref name = "fsfac"/>

 

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