Charlottesville Sacred Spaces The sacred institutions chosen are not an all-encompassing list of historic worship spaces in town. These spaces were selected because of their proximity to the first recorded building used for worship in Charlottesville, and what these spaces meant during those first years. The downtown area, particularly around Court Square, is historically rich with diverse worship places; several denominations of Christianity are present, as well as a Jewish synagogue. In 1776, a five member committee that included Thomas Jefferson drafted Bill No. 82, also known as the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. This bill established that all men shall to be free to profess and by argument maintain, their opinions in matters of religion and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities. Nine years later the bill was officially adopted in 1785. This diversity is testament to Jefferson s devotion to freedom of religion and separation of church and state. These maps indicate the locations of the churches and trace them if they have moved. The following paragraphs tell you where they are on the map. 2 2 1 2 1 1
Albemarle County Courthouse The Charlottesville Albemarle County Courthouse is known as one of the first all denominational places of worship for early Charlottesville residents. The first building was built in 1776, expressing characteristics of Mid-Atlantic colonial architecture, the structure that is visibile today was built in 1803. The new entrance of the Courthouse was built in 1858 and is an example of the high-style Federal architecture while the surrounding structures of Court Square are representative of a more generic Federal style. The simple square box-like buildings are generally two rooms deep with doors and six over six double hung windows that are symmetrically aligned. The Courthouse windows also have a keystone lintel, helping to distinguish the style from the other Couthouse Square buildings. The town grew around the courthouse, which quickly became the epicenter of Charlottesville. Nicknamed the Common Temple, the Charlottesville Albemarle County Courthouse served not only as the community and political center but also as a communal worship space for many different denominations. Each church alternated Sundays throughout the month. Thomas Jefferson worshiped there when it was his church s turn to have their service held in the courthouse.
Charlottesville Baptist Church Charlottesville Baptist Church, now known as First Baptist, Park Street was one of the first churches who used the Courthouse as a worship space. In 1831, after a delegation of twelve members from Preddy Creek Baptist Church came to Charlottesville, eighteen people were converted and on August 18th the new church was formed. The church has moved four times : from 1831-1855 the first church was located on 4th Street and E. Jefferson Street, from 1855-1905 it was at 2nd and E. Jefferson Street, from 1905-1977 it was on the corner of E. Jefferson and 2nd Street NE, when the name changed to First Baptist Church, and finally to Park Street in 1977. First Baptist Church was the only church, until the civil war, where people of all races worshiped alongside one another. At the time of the war they helped the African American community establish a Baptist church off West Main Street. The original location of the church was much closer to the Courthouse, cattycorner from Lee Park, until it burned in 1976. At the turn of the century they moved to the Park Street location, into a modern 1970s angular building, with hexagonal screening in the bell tower. The church is a modern red brick and white design, the white half arches and slender columns are a nod to the Jeffersonian influence that is so prevalent in Charlottesville. Purple 1: Original Location Purple 2: Current Location Image 1: Front view of First Baptist Image 2: The bell tower Ed Roseberry, C ville Images Image 3: Early 1970s before the 1976 fire: overlooking Lee Park, the original First Baptist, on the corner of E. Jefferson and Second Street NE.
Christ Episcopal Church Christ Episcopal Church, presently faacing West High Street, records its first service in 1821. The first church was located on the same lot, but faced East Jefferson Street. Around this time there was a need for a community church of all denominations, to serve the city much like the Courthouse did. The Presbyterians insisted that it be called Presbyterian Church. However, the citizens helping to finance it feared that it would become The Presbyterian Church, and thus not as all denominational as proposed. So donors such as Thomas Jefferson withdrew their support and began their own Episcopalian church. The original church was built by the mid-1820s, in the Jeffersonian-Neoclassical style. The red brick and white columned church resembled the University, not only because of its prominence within the city, but because it s founder was a contributing member to Christ Church. Thomas Jefferson donated 300 dollars, quite a sum for that time, and he furnished the original plans. In 1882 the church was starting to see signs of structural disrepair and talks of a new church began. Due to financial constrains this wasn t an option yet, instead extensive repairs were made. August of 1895 the last service was held in the old church, and later that fall ground for the present day Gothic Revival church, was broken. The first service was held January 1897 in the new Sunday school and by April of the following year service was held in the new sanctuary. Blue: Original/Current Location Image 1: Undated early photo of the original Christ Episcopal Image 2: Present day Christ Episcopal
Holy Comforter Catholic Church Catholic faith in Charlottesville dates to the mid nineteenth century when St. Francis of Assisi Church in Staunton established a mission in Charlottesville. The first mass of record is in 1858, and presumed to have been held in a home in the Random Row/Vinegar Hill district. For the next twenty-two years mass would be held in Town Hall, at Park and East High until Church of the Paraclete was built. In 1880 the first Catholic Church was built on the corner of East Jefferson and School (Third) Street. The Church of the Paraclete was built by AJ Sinclair with the plans done by Richmond architect Mr. Black. The sanctuary was intimate, 35 feet by 60, but cast a prominent shadow with the tower and bell in the northwest corner. In 1924 the old church was disassembled and a Renaissance Revival-styled one replaced it, designed by a local professor at the University s school of architecture, Stanislaw Makielski. He drew upon Leon Batista Alberti s Sant Andrea in Mantau, Italy for inspiration of the new facade. His brother, B.A. Makielki painted the Christ moftif that is still visible. Red: Original/Current Location Image 1: Church of the Paraclete, view from where Congregation Beth Israel is today. Image 2: Present day photo of Holy Comforter
Congregation Beth Israel Jewish faith in Charlottesville is one rich in history, and one of early acceptance into Charlottesville. The first Jewish family in town was the Israel family, during the late 18th century, who left a significant impact on the start and growth of the Jewish faith in Charlottesville. In1757 Michael and Sarah Israel purchased 80 acres between North Garden and Batesville, to this day the area is known as Israel s Gap. 1870 marks the first permanent structure marking the Jewish community in Charlottesville with the dedication of a cemetery plot to Isaac Leterman. Twelve years later contracts were drawn for the purchase of land for the synagogue and on October 4, 1882 the cornerstone for the Gothic Revival synagogue was laid. The synagogue has since moved from its Market Street and 2nd Street intersection, and is now on East Jefferson, cattycorner from Holy Comforter. In the early 20th century the US Government requested they sell the land and move, to make way for a post office, which later became the Jefferson Madison Regional Library. Brick by brick they moved, and in February 1904 they held a dedication ceremony for the new space. Congregation Beth Israel is the oldest continuously utilized synagogue in Virginia and among twenty oldest in the United States Yellow 1: Original Location Yellow 2: Current Location Image 1: Congregation Beth Israel, present day
First United Methodist Church First United Methodist Church was originally known as Charlottesville Methodist Episcopal Church. It was built in 1834, located on the south side of Water Street between First and West Second Streets, where Mono Loco currently resides. Today the church is housed in their third building, built in 1924, the first service was held the following November. The 1834 church was designed by James Lobbin, brick with white trim, and had a unique tower that some say resembled an upside down card table. The church sat an audience of 350, which for a town of 1500 seemed a little large. In reality, the church covered a larger are than just Charlottesville and drew in Methodist congregations from the surrounding counties. In 1860 construction for the second church began, and due to financial reasons and the Civil War, it halted, leaving them to worship in the basement for seven years until the remaining funds were raised. Finally, ground for the current building broke spring 1924, allowing enough room for nearly 1000 people to sit in the sanctuary, a social hall, a chapel, and Sunday School that would accommodate 1000 children, and a club room designated for the university students. The present-day church is red brick and white, with Doric columns, and blends with the surrounding Downtown Jefferson-era buildings. Black 1: Original Location Black 2: Current Location Image 1: Charlottesville Methodist Episocpal Church built in1834, Water St and Second St SW The original in this digital image is house in: Special Collections University of Virginia Library Charlottesville, VA 22904-4110 Image 3: First United Methodist Church, Present day no further copies can be made Image 2: Second Charlottesville Methodist Episcopal, ca. 1889 The original in this digital image is house in: Special Collections University of Virginia Library Charlottesville, VA 22904-4110 no further copies can be made
First Presbyterian Church First Presbyterian, originally Charlottesville Presbyterian, has a long and complex history in Virginia and in Charlottesville, you can read more of it at length at http://www.firstprescharlottesville.org/files/resources/ fpc_history_2nd_edition.pdf. The first Presbyterian church in central Virginia, was established in 1740 in Augusta County. This was shortly after Virginia was granted the right to have their own pastors instead of complying with the Established Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania. The Augusta Stone Church is the oldest Presbyterian Church in continuous use in the state of Virginia. Early Charlottesville Presbyterians met at the home of John Kelly for worship. In 1828 John Kelly bought property on the corner of Park and Maple Streets where he built a large brick home, and where he and his wife built the first Sunday school. The Park and Maple Street intersection would later again serve as the home of the fourth church. There were many installments of churches built over the years, the third, was built on Market and Second Streets, in 1898 and designed by Charles W. Read, Jr., of Richmond. The church sat close to 900 parishioners. The structure was red brick with brown sandstone, and molded brick, in a Romanesque style. The property was not large enough for the growing Sunday School attendance, so the lot on Market and First Street was purchased. Then, in 1955 the fourth, and final, church cornerstone was laid. In that cornerstone is a photo of the first Presbyterian Church, a copy of the speech at the 1897 groundbreaking of the third church, and a contract of the first Meeting House dated 1826. Constructed on the northeast corners of Park and Maple streets, the new church could seat 620 in the sanctuary, 140 in the balcony, and had an entire wing dedicated to education. Architecturally, First Presbyterian resembles many of the other churches built in the early nineteenth century. Even though it was built in the mid-twentieth century, it continues the Jeffersonian neo-classical tradition with red brick and white detailing and white ionic columns. Green: First and Fourth church Location