Lost in the heart of Midtown Manhattan stands Saint Thomas Church. It is an Episcopal parish church at 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue. But the story of Saint Thomas Church is one of constant renewal and adaptation.
The parish was incorporated on January 9, 1824. The current Saint Thomas Church is actually the congregation’s fourth structure. Ralph Adams Cram and Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue designed it. The French High Gothic Revival style was used. It was completed in 1914.
The first Saint Thomas Church was located far downtown. Members of three Episcopal parishes collaborated to organize a new episcopal church in New York. These included William Backhouse Astor, a wealthy Manhattan landowner. Charles King was also a member. He later became president of Columbia University. Jurist William Beach Lawrence was there too.
Saint Thomas Church was incorporated and the cornerstone laid in July 1824. The first church edifice opened in 1826. It was described as the best specimen of Gothic in the city. The location was the northern extent of developed settlement in Manhattan. The church was enlarged and remodeled in 1844.
Fire destroyed the first Saint Thomas Church on March 2 1851. The congregation built a new church at the same location. It was completed in 1852. But times were changing and the neighborhood had degenerated. This led to the congregation seeking to relocate.
A third church was built from 1865 to 1870 at 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue. Richard Upjohn and his son designed it. The cornerstone was laid on October 14 1868. The congregation moved into its new home two years later. This structure featured a prominent 260-foot high tower. It quickly became a neighborhood landmark.
The third building was also the site of many high society weddings and funerals. But tragedy struck again. This structure was destroyed by fire on August 8 1905. Only the tower remained.
The fourth and current Saint Thomas Church was designed in 1906. It was built from 1911 to 1913. Ralph Adams Cram and Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue designed it. Their design won an architectural competition. The cornerstone was laid on November 21 1911. The new building opened to congregants on October 4 1913. It was consecrated on April 25 1916.
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake shocked the church’s rector. He rushed the balance in his parish’s building fund to aid the stricken city. The public responded with gifts that replenished the fund.
Saint Thomas Church reaches cathedral proportions. The nave vault rises 95 feet above the floor. The church is built completely of stone. It follows medieval construction principles. Load-bearing rib vaulting is used without steel. The columns and arches support the structure. This gives it unique acoustical properties.
Saint Thomas Church is home to the Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys. The men are professional singers. The boys attend Saint Thomas Choir School. It is the only church-affiliated residential choir school in the United States. Only three such schools remain in the world.
In October 2023 Saint Thomas Church commemorated the bicentennial of its founding. The church also marked the 100th anniversary of the twinning of New York City and York in England in May 2024.
So the next time you find yourself on Fifth Avenue take a moment to appreciate Saint Thomas Church. It stands as a testament to faith. It embodies resilience and architectural grandeur in the heart of New York City.