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History When St. Paul’s Chapel was completed in 1766, it stood in a field some distance from the growing port city to the south. It was built as a “chapel-of-ease” for parishioners who lived far from the primary, or “Mother,” church. Today, St. Paul’s Chapel is Manhattan’s oldest public building in continuous use, and its remaining colonial church. Washington’s Pew George Washington worshiped here on Inauguration Day, April 30, 1789, and attended services at St. Paul’s during the two years New York City was the country’s capital. Above his pew is an 18th-century oil painting of the Great Seal of the United States, which was adopted in 1782. Directly across the chapel is the Governor’s pew, which George Clinton, the first Governor of the State of New York, used when he visited St. Paul’s. The Arms of the State of New York are on the wall above the pew. Among other notable historical figures who worshiped at St. Paul’s were Prince William, later King William IV of England; Lord Cornwallis, who is most famous in this country for surrendering at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781; Lord Howe, who commanded the British forces in New York, and Presidents Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, and George H. W. Bush. Architecture Andrew Gautier served as master craftsman, erecting a building typical of the Georgian Classic-Revival style, and resembling London’s St. Martin-in-the-Fields. St. Paul’s is constructed of Manhattan mica-schist with brownstone quoins; its woodwork, carving, and door hinges are handmade. The ornamental design of the “Glory” over the altar is the work of Pierre L'Enfant, who designed Washington, D.C. The “Glory” depicts Mt. Sinai in clouds and lightning, the Hebrew word for "God" in a triangle, and the two tablets of the Law with the Ten Commandments. The pulpit is surmounted by a coronet and six feathers. Fourteen original cut-glass chandeliers hang in the nave and the galleries. The organ case was built in 1804. On the Broadway side of the chapel’s exterior is an oak statue of St. Paul carved in the American Primitive style. Below the east window is the monument to General Richard Montgomery, who died at the Battle of Quebec during the American Revolutionary War. In the spire, the first bell is inscribed “Mears London, Fecit [Made] 1797.” The second bell, made in 1866, was added in celebration of the chapel’s 100th anniversary. The Extraordinary Ministry of St. Paul’s Chapel September 2001-May 2002 After the attack on September 11, 2001, which led to the collapse of the twin towers of the World Trade Center, St. Paul’s Chapel served as a place of rest and refuge for recovery workers at the WTC site. For eight months, hundreds of volunteers worked 12 hour shifts around the clock, serving meals, making beds, counseling and praying with fire fighters, construction workers, police and others. Massage therapists, chiropractors, podiatrists and musicians also tended to their needs. Today, St. Paul’s continues as an active part of the Parish of Trinity Church, holding services, weekday concerts, occasional lectures, and providing a shelter for the homeless.
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