Charles H. Hopson. Oakhurst Presbyterian Church. Oakhurst, Decatur, Georgia.12345Front porch and entrance of Oakhurst Presbyterian Church, Decatur, GeorgiaWindows on the facade of Oakhurst Presbyterian Church, Decatur, GeorgiaSanctuary and basement windows on the north elevation of Oakhurst Presbyterian Church, Decatur, GeorgiaClerestory windows on the facade of Oakhurst Presbyterian Church, Decatur, GeorgiaSteeple on Oakhurst Presbyterian Church, Decatur, GeorgiaSpandrels between windows on the north elevation of Oakhurst Presbyterian Church, Decatur, Georgia
References
“Architect’s Plan of New Oakhurst Church”. The Atlanta Journal, April 1, 1928, p. 2B. ↩︎
“Corner-Stone Laying At Oakhurst Church Is Scheduled Sunday”. The Atlanta Journal, June 23, 1928, p. 12A. ↩︎
“Oakhurst Church Cornerstone Laid”. The Atlanta Constitution, June 25, 1928, p. 11. ↩︎
“Oakhurst Exercises To Mark Opening of New Church Edifice”. The Atlanta Constitution, September 29, 1928, p. 15. ↩︎
“Oakhurst Presbyterian Congregation To Worship in New Church This Afternoon”. The Atlanta Constitution, September 30, 1928, p. 3A. ↩︎
Sayward, Williams & Logan. Emory Presbyterian Church (1949). Druid Hills, Atlanta.1234Windows on the east facade of Emory Presbyterian ChurchWindow on the south facade of Emory Presbyterian ChurchPinnacle on the south facade of Emory Presbyterian ChurchOrnamented window spandrel on the south facade of Emory Presbyterian ChurchLooking through the porch windows of Emory Presbyterian ChurchPorch gable on the east facade of Emory Presbyterian ChurchWindow on the east facade of Emory Presbyterian ChurchOrnamentation over a door on the east elevation of Emory Presbyterian ChurchPorch on the east facade of Emory Presbyterian ChurchInscription over the window on the south facade of Emory Presbyterian ChurchWindow on the south facade of Emory Presbyterian Church
References
“Church Services”. The Atlanta Constitution, October 22, 1949, p. 9. ↩︎
“Church at Emory Gets Own Building”. The Atlanta Journal, October 22, 1949, p. 5. ↩︎
E. Fogette. Sacred Heart Catholic Church (1885). Abbeville, South Carolina.12Transept on the southeast elevation of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South CarolinaTurret on Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Abbeville, South CarolinaWindows on the southeast elevation of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South CarolinaRose window on the southwest facade of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South CarolinaTransept window and buttress on the southeast elevation of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South CarolinaGable on the facade of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South CarolinaKneelered gable on the facade of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South CarolinaTurret windows on the facade of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South CarolinaWindows on the facade of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South CarolinaSteeple on Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abbeville, South Carolina
Henry Hornbostel.C. Howard Candler Residence, “Callanwolde” (1921). Druid Hills, Atlanta.12345Gable and chimney on the facade of Callanwolde, AtlantaSecond-floor windows and half-timbering on the facade of Callanwolde, AtlantaChimney and barge-board on the facade of Callanwolde, AtlantaFront entrance of Callanwolde, AtlantaHalf-timbering and strapwork ornament on the facade of Callanwolde, AtlantaSecond-floor windows and balcony on the facade of Callanwolde, AtlantaSouthwest elevation of Callanwolde, AtlantaLooking at Callanwolde from the westTriple window on the northwest elevation of Callanwolde, AtlantaGable and oriel window on the northwest elevation of Callanwolde, AtlantaFirst-floor windows and patio on the southwest elevation of Callanwolde, AtlantaStrapwork ornament on the southwest elevation of Callanwolde, Atlanta
Charles Edward Choate. Second Presbyterian Church (1910). Greenville, South Carolina.123Steeple on Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South CarolinaLooking at Second Presbyterian Church from the southeastWindow on the east facade of Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South CarolinaTerracotta dripstone over the east entrance of Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South CarolinaSouth facade of Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South CarolinaBlind arch and terracotta ornamentation on the east facade of Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South Carolina Pinnacle on Second Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South Carolina
References
“$90,000 To Be Spent In Church Building”. The Atlanta Journal, May 17, 1910, p. 6. ↩︎
“Churches.” The Greenville Daily News (Greenville, South Carolina), June 12, 1910, p. 6. ↩︎
“Initiatory Services”. The Greenville Daily News (Greenville, South Carolina), June 16, 1910, p. 8. ↩︎
Morgan & Dillon. All Saints’ Episcopal Church. Midtown, Atlanta.12Window and parapet on the facade of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, AtlantaLooking at the south elevation of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, AtlantaSanctuary window on the south elevation of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, AtlantaEntrance of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, AtlantaTower and belfry on All Saints’ Episcopal Church, AtlantaArch windows on the belfry of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, AtlantaCross on the facade of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, AtlantaSpire on the tower of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Atlanta
References
“History of All Saints’ Parish and Church Just Complete”. The Atlanta Constitution, April 8, 1906, p. 2. ↩︎
“All Saints’ Episcopal Church Will Be Formally Opened This Morning With Beautiful And Impressive Service”. The Atlanta Journal, April 8, 1906, p. S1. ↩︎
A.C. Bruce of Bruce & Morgan. Walnut Street Christian Church (1886-1976). Chattanooga, Tennessee.1
The Background
The following article, published in TheChattanooga Daily Times, details the plan and construction of the Walnut Street Christian Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, built in 1886 and designed byA.C. Bruceof Bruce & Morgan.
The building was demolished circa 1976.
Bruce was raised in Nashville, Tennessee, and began his practice in Knoxville, Tennessee. When he later partnered with Thomas H. Morgan in Atlanta, the firm continued to secure considerable work throughout eastern Tennessee, including, as the article notes, Chattanooga’s Hamilton County Courthouse and First Presbyterian Church, both of which were demolished.
Location of Walnut Street Christian Church
The design of the tidy Gothic-style church, shown in the illustration above, is typical of Bruce, who consistently struggled to balance solids and voids in his compositions. Note that the doors and windows appear just a little too large for the overall massing: Bruce frequently drew them out of scale.
The Walnut Street Christian Church occupied this building until 1910, when the congregation moved half a block to the former First Presbyterian Church, becoming Central Christian Church.23
The old Christian Church building was then sold to the local chapter of the Knights of Pythias organization, who converted it into a meeting hall.4 Based on fire maps, the structure’s original 85-foot-high steeple5 was removed at some point,6 likely during this renovation.
In 1923, the building was sold again to the neighboring Newell Sanitarium,7 which converted it into a 10-room annex circa 1925.8
It appears the former church—altered at least twice—remained at 709 Walnut Street9 until the construction of the neighboring Downtown General Hospital, which opened in July 1976.10 The hospital’s parking lot replaced the building.
I won’t lie: This is a dead-boring article that reads a lot like those Old Testament books with endless lists of names and dry histories—the ones Christians pretend to read, if they read the Bible at all.
To make it easier to find, I’ve highlighted the section on the building’s design in tasteful lavender. You’re welcome.
The New Christian Church to be Dedicated Today.
Handsome Brick Structure on Walnut Street Between Seventh and Eighth Streets.
History Of The Church.
Its Organization, Struggles, Work and Final Great Success–Full Roster of the Membership
During the winter of 1879, A. Teachout of Cleveland, O., came to this city to spend some months, and being an earnest Christian, he sought out some men and women of his own “faith and order,” and induced them to engage with him in an effort to begin the work in this city which has culminated in their house today, and the happy and memorable occasion which will there be celebrated. Among this little band who were brave enough to make such a beginning, may be mentioned Lucius DeLong and wife, N.P. Nail, R.S. Kendrick and wife, and W.C. Carter and wife.
Arrangements were made by them to invite Dr. W.H. Hopson, of Louisville, Ky., to preach a series of sermons in this city. Accordingly Dr. Hopson came and preached for about a week in the old Southern Methodist church, which stood at the corner of Eighth and Market, where Loveman’s new building stands. Dr. Hopson concluded his services in James Hall. In some respects, this was a notable meeting. Large crowds waited upon the preaching and the immediate results were ten accessions by obedience of the gospel: Bradford Post and wife, Fred H. Phillips, B.H. Ferguson and wife, James Nichols, Mrs. Webb and three others.
Before leaving the city Dr. Hopson effected a temporary organization and A. Teachout was appointed Elder of the church. From the time of organization regular meeting were held in a hall or other place within their reach. The worship of God has therefore been steadily maintained ever since.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
was established about 1878. Probably its first Superintendent was Weston F. Burch, of Missouri,–a man of rare worth never to be forgotten by those who knew him. His successors in that office have W.C. Carter, G.B. Woolworth, R. W. Andrews and the present incumbent, D.W. Chase, who has brought the school to unprecedented prosperity.
The school undertook to pay for the eight stained windows in the auditorium and will succeed. The children and the teachers of the school have paid to the building fund about $400 during the past two years besides paying their own current expenses and are ready to be among the first today to make pledge for liquidating the indebtedness. There is also a lively Mission Sunday School under the care of Charles Caldwell and Charles R. McCall, which has started during the last spring, which will bear its share of the responsibility.
THE PREACHERS
who have served the church have been A. Allison, Geo. W. Abell, J.R. Biggs, F.M. Hawkins, Dr. A.G. Thomas, A.S. Johnson, D.T. Beck and T.D. Butler. In a brief history such as this aims to be, many names which are entitled to honorable mention are likely to be overlooked. This is unavoidable and should not be construed by partial friends as intentional.
The local organization of the Christian Womens’ Board of Mission, which has done a large share of the work of raising money for this new house, as it had done for the very eligible lot upon which it stands, is largely due to Mrs. G.B. Woodworth for its establishment and successful management, though no year of its existence has been crowned with such prosperity as the present, under the active and indefatigable Presidency of Mrs. Eva Wilkinson.
The following have served the church as its Elders: A. Teachont [sic], N.P. Nail, B. Post, L.S. Barret, Isaac Strickle and G.B. Woodworth.
The Deacons have been: L. DeLong, Fred H. Phillips, S.J. Graham, Jno. A. Graham, A.B. Phillips, W.T. Lucas, J.R. Hays, R.W. Andrews, B. Post and Geo. B. Woodworth and D.W. Chase.
Up to the 1st of September, 1884, much had been done by this active and devoted people. They had secured the lot they now occupied and nearly paid for it, and they had made an appeal to the Home Missionary Society of the church in America to help them to sustain regular preaching. An arrangement was completed by which their present pastor, T.D. Butler, came among them, and the work at once began to advance vigorously. The new house, which is to be opened today, was started, and a systematic series of operations pursued by which financial help was received. To this end Mr. Butler has traveled much in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, and has raised nearly $2,500 in cash, and has secured loans to the amount of $1,500 on safe and advantageous terms. In addition to this, the spiritual needs of the church have been amply supplied, and more than a hundred members added to the membership. The lot furnishes only a narrow margin beyond the walls, but the house stands 75×50 feet, with a first-class basement. Here are two rows of graceful iron columns, supported by a substantial footing of stone, and thes [sic] in turn adequately support the floor of the auditorium. We reach the main room by spacious steps, which lead into a vestibule of ample size, having a door on the right which opens into the pastor’s room–as on the left you pass into the gallery above, which has a capacity of nearly 100 people–or below into the commodious school and prayer meeting room. The auditorium is furnished with neat pews from the Excelsior Furniture Co., Cincinnati, O., and cathedral glass windows from the Robert Mitchell Furniture House, Cincinnati. Beneath the rostrum is a baptistery [sic], with all the modern appliances, and on either side are the robing rooms to be used by candidates for baptism and for other purposes. On the whole this is one of the neatest, best furnished and most convenient churches in the city.
The plans and specifications for this church were generously donated by A.C. Bruce, Esq., of Bruce & Morgan, Architects, Atlanta, Ga.–the architect of the court house and the First Presbyterian church.
THE CONTRACTORS.
Stone work, Trout & Coxon; brick work, J.F. Wright; slate and galvanized iron, J.C. Banks & Co.; roof and tower, R.D. Whitice; carpenter work, W.M. Cosby and R.W. Andrews; gas fitters, Lookout Plumbing Company and plumbing by H.A. McQuade.
The building committee has been Isaac Strickle, D.W. Chase, G.B. Woodworth, R.W. Andrews, W.M. Cosby and John A. Graham.
The Trustees are Lucius Delong, President; D.W. Chase, Secretary and Treasurer; Bradford Post, G.B. Woodworth, M.M. Caldwell.
The present organization of the church is: Thomas D. Butler, Pastor; Official Board, G.B. Woodworth, Chairman; B. Post, D.W. Chase, John A. Graham, A. B. Phillips, W.M. Cosby, L. DeLong, G.M. King, J.T. Lynn.
[LIST OF CHURCH MEMBERS — too long and boring to repeat here.]11
References
“The New Christian Church to be Dedicated Today.” The Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, Tennessee), August 8, 1886, p. 8. ↩︎
“Dr. Boswell In His New Pulpit”. The Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, Tennessee), January 3, 1910, p. 2. ↩︎
“Reasons For Their Faith”. The Chattanooga Daily Times (Chattanooga, Tennessee), January 3, 1910, p. 3. ↩︎
“New Home Of Keystone Lodge”. The Chattanooga News (Chattanooga, Tennessee), January 8, 1910, Magazine Section, p. 4. ↩︎
E.G. Lind. The Priest’s House at Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (1884). Atlanta.12345Front porch and entrance of The Priest’s House, AtlantaFirst-floor windows on the facade of The Priest’s House, AtlantaSecond-floor window on the facade of The Priest’s House, AtlantaTerracotta stringcourse on the facade of The Priest’s House, AtlantaAttic window on the facade of The Priest’s House, AtlantaEaves and consoles on the facade of The Priest’s House, AtlantaWest elevation of The Priest’s House, Atlanta
References
Belfoure, Charles. Edmund G. Lind: Anglo-American Architect of Baltimore and the South. Baltimore, Maryland: The Baltimore Architectural Foundation (2009). ↩︎
“Notice to Builders & Contractors”. The Atlanta Constitution, June 25, 1884, p. 5. ↩︎
“Building Bits.” The Atlanta Constitution, May 30, 1884, p. 7. ↩︎
“The Priest’s House”. The Atlanta Constitution, November 9, 1884, p. 9. ↩︎
“A Brilliant Occasion.” The Atlanta Constitution, November 12, 1884, p. 7. ↩︎
Richard Morris Hunt. Jackson Square Library (1887). Greenwich Village, New York.12Dutch gable and third-floor windows on the facade of Jackson Square Library, New YorkSecond-floor windows on the facade of Jackson Square Library, New YorkTrefoil arch on the first floor of Jackson Square Library, New York
References
“Given By a Millionaire”. The World (New York), July 5, 1888, p. 1. ↩︎
C. Walter Smith. St. Philip’s Deanery (1898-1935). Atlanta.
The Background
Separate from its series on model houses—but not dissimilar—The Atlanta Journal published the following article in September 1898, featuring an illustration of the “deanery” (pictured above) then being built for St. Philip’s Cathedral and designed by C. Walter Smith.
The Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip is as old as Atlanta, established in 1847. Its original sanctuary served as a hospital for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War and was later occupied by Federal troops, who reportedly used it as a stable and bowling alley.12
The building was saved from Sherman‘s burning of Atlanta, allegedly after a priest from the nearby Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception threatened to order all Catholic troops to leave the army if they torched his sanctuary. Because of St. Philip’s proximity to the Catholic church, both structures were said to be spared.34
Cute story, but like most things associated with Atlanta, it’s probably bullshit.
In reality, Sherman’s forces primarily targeted military assets and burned less than half of the city,5 which at the time was a town of 22,000 people occupying an area significantly smaller than the current Downtown district.6 You’d never know it from the way Atlantans still drone on about it, though.
The antebellum St. Philip’s was instead destroyed by a tornado in 1878,78 replaced in 1882 with a Gothic-style sanctuary designed by John Moser,910 an Atlanta architect whose work in the city has been entirely lost to demolition.
For more than 85 years, the church occupied a large lot in the heart of the city at the northeast corner of Washington Street and Hunter Street (later Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive SE), directly across from the state capitol.
Mammon and racism beckoned, however, and in 1933, St. Philip’s moved 7 miles north to Buckhead,1112 building a sprawling fortress at the intersection of Peachtree Road and Andrews Drive (a.k.a. “Jesus Junction”), where it remains cloistered today.
Location of St. Philip’s Deanery
Located at 16 Washington Street, the deanery designed by Smithwas built next to the 1882 sanctuary,13 and by 1899 was occupied by the church’s dean, Albion W. Knight.14 No floor plan was included with the Journal‘s article, but there were still several interesting aspects about the project that can be gleaned from the illustration and description.
The building was ostensibly designed in the Gothic style, with drop arches and kneelered gables. However, theoval windowanddentilled cornicewereborrowed from the prevailing “colonial” style of the period. Smith’s eclectic composition clearly followed the lead of his former employer, G.L. Norrman, but unlike Norrman, Smith lacked the skill to blend incongruent elements into a cohesive composition.
Smith’s design for the deanery also broke from his predecessor in two significant ways:
Smith’s design for the deanery included the use of “galvanized iron ornaments”, of which Norrman was a vocal opponent. “How can you expect your child to tell the truth when you have galvanized iron columns painted in imitation of stone on your front porch?”, he wrote in 1898.15
The deanery was planned in a roughly “T” formwith projecting front and rear wings, which Smith used frequently in his residential works. The C.D. Hurt Residence, built in 1893 in nearby Inman Park, employed a similar design. G.L. Norrman was undoubtedly the architect for that project, and I suspect Smith was also heavily involved in its creation.
The St. Philip’s deanery only housed the dean for 11 years. In 1909, construction on the first Washington Street viaduct blocked the home’s entrance, rendering it effectively unusable and leading the church to sue the city of Atlanta for damages.17
In 1910, the city government rented the property and converted the structure into a school building to accommodate overcrowding at nearby Girls’ High School.1819
The condition of Atlanta’s schools at the time was abysmal, and the old deanery offered little relief. In January 1913, the Journal reported that 133 students were packed into the building, noting ominously: “If there were a fire…there would be many funerals in Atlanta homes.”20
The same article included a rough sketch of the building’s floor plan (pictured below), which had been altered for school use but still hinted at Smith’s original design.
Sketch of floor plan for former St. Philip’s Deanery circa 191321
The school vacated the property in August 1913,22 and the building returned to use as the “church house”, used for meetings and community events.
In 1916, the church’s new dean repurposed the structure to house “club rooms for working men and a school for needy boys and girls.”23 By 1917, the space was also being used as a public lunchroom by the Ladies’ Aid Society.24
The building was apparently still intact when St. Philip’s moved to Buckhead, and was presumably demolished along with the sanctuary in 1935.2526
The property is now occupied by the State of Georgia’s Department of Agriculture building, completed in 1955.27
St. Philip’s New Deanery In Course of Construction
The above cut represents the deanery of St. Philips’ cathedral, which is in process of erection on Washington street. The plans are by C. Walter Smith and the motif is gothic in design and detail.
The building has brick walls and a granite foundation, with stone and galvanized iron ornaments.
The interior finish is worked out in plain, rich gothic, and the woodwork is of Georgia pine, highly polished.
The cost of the building will be about $4,000, and it will be pushed to early completion.
The design is an attractive one and reflects credit on both the architect and the authorities who adopted it.
The cathedral building is at the same time undergoing repairs and the appearance of the exterior of the wall will be entirely changed.28
References
“First Episcopal Church in Atlanta”. The Atlanta Journal, July 29, 1923, p. 9. ↩︎
Perkerson, Medora Field. “St. Philip’s Is 85 Years Old.” The Atlanta JournalMagazine, October 30, 1932, p. 3. ↩︎
“First Episcopal Church in Atlanta”. The Atlanta Journal, July 29, 1923, p. 9. ↩︎
Perkerson, Medora Field. “St. Philip’s Is 85 Years Old.” The Atlanta JournalMagazine, October 30, 1932, p. 3. ↩︎
