St. Mark's Church
Oldest Church in N.Y. Cor. 2nd Avenue and 10th St. New York City Created Date: 1858-1925 Digital ID: G91F200_069f NYPL Call Number: MFY Dennis Coll 91-F200 Another famous church in the Village known for its patronage of the arts is St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery at 131 East 10th Street at Stuyvesant Street. The church was largely finished in 1799, making it the second oldest church in Manhattan, after St. Paul's Chapel, the authors wrote, adding that "The steeple was added by Ithiel Town in 1828 and the cast-iron portico in 1854." "St. Mark's became a free-wheeling outpost in the 20th Century," ... Fire ravaged the church in July, 1978. Under the Rev. Daniel A. Garcia, the building was restored over the following five years, to designs by the Edelman Partnership." Wonderful photos and history ...Saint Mark's, established in 1799, is the final resting place of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch governor of New Netherland. St Marks-in-the-Bowery "The Bowery" was Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant's farm, and his private chapel used to stand on this site--making this the oldest site of continuous worship in Manhattan. This church was erected 1795-99-- one of the few surviving 18th Century structures in Manhattan--with a Greek revival steeple added 1828 and an Italianate portico completing the structure in 1854. Originally a church of Manhattan's elite, St Marks became a progressive force in the neighborhood both socially and culturally. Supportive of immigrant, labor and civil rights, the church was a meetingplace for Black Panthers and Young Lords, and launched the first lesbian healthcare clinic. St Marks Churchyard Famous residents include former governor and vice president Daniel Tompkins, who abolished slavery in New York; Commodore Perry Matthew Perry, who forced Japan to accept U.S. trade; and New York Mayor Philip Hone. Peter Stuyvesant himself is buried under the church, and six generations of his descendants are also found here. Department store pioneer A.T. Stewart, whose store filled the block between 9th and 10th streets east of Broadway, was buried here in 1876, but on November 6, 1878, his body was snatched and held for $200,000 ransom. The widow eventually regained possession of the corpse in 1881, after bargaining the kidnappers down to $20,000. He now rests elsewhere. St Marks West Yard West Yard; the space between St Marks' rectory and the church was to be filled in by a 18-story apartment tower designed by Frank Lloyd Wright; with all due respect to Wright, it's a blessing that the Great Depression scuttled the plan. Some of the ancient maples in the yard were lost to the Asian Longhorn Beetle in 2000. ... Back To MANHATTAN CHURCH PHOTOS Main Index Back To MANHATTAN Main Back To WORSHIP Main Back To BROOKLYN Main