Envision a towering spire piercing the sky. This is Trinity Church. It stands proudly at 89 Broadway. The church is opposite Wall Street. It is in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan.
Trinity Church has stood here for over 300 years. Its story began with a small group. They were Anglicans wanting their own parish. In 1696, they asked Royal Governor Benjamin Fletcher for legal status. He granted it in 1697 for King William III. The first Trinity Church was built in 1698. It faced the Hudson River.
To ensure success, Fletcher leased Trinity land. This land stretched from Fulton Street to Christopher Street. It went from Greenwich Street to Broadway. In 1705, Queen Anne made the land grant permanent. She gave the church 215 acres. Trinity used this to support its mission.
By 1750, New York City’s population doubled. Trinity Church was packed. So, they built St. George’s Chapel in 1752. It was the first “chapel-of-ease”. In 1766, with the population nearing 20,000, Trinity built St. Paul’s Chapel. It was built up Broadway at Vesey Street.
The first Trinity Church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1776. This happened during the Revolutionary War. The second church opened in 1790. It faced Wall Street. It was larger than the first. Its steeple reached 200 feet. President George Washington attended the consecration. He and his government regularly worshiped here. Notable parishioners included John Jay and Alexander Hamilton.
Heavy snow caused the second church’s roof to collapse in 1839. Richard Upjohn rebuilt it completely. He favored English Gothic architecture. The third Trinity Church was consecrated in 1846. It is a Neo-Gothic masterpiece. Its steeple is 281 feet high. Trinity Church was the tallest building in the U.S. for 23 years. It remained the tallest in New York City until 1890.
Trinity’s parish included eleven chapels over time. Some served scattered members. Others furthered missionary work. Most chapels became independent in 1976. St. Paul’s Chapel and the Chapel of St. Cornelius the Centurion remain part of Trinity Church. Trinity aided over 300 churches in the area. It earned the title “mother of churches.”
Today, Trinity Church has over 1,600 members. The original land grant from Queen Anne supports Trinity. It funds a $6 billion endowment. This provides for Trinity’s work. From a charity school in 1709 to supporting Desmond Tutu, Trinity shares God’s love.
Here, you can visit the graves of Alexander and Eliza Hamilton. You can also see Angelica Schuyler Church’s resting place. The Soldiers’ Monument honors Revolutionary War soldiers buried here.
Marvel at the bronze doors. William Waldorf Astor donated them. They honor his father, John Jacob Astor III. Richard Morris Hunt conceived them. Karl Bitter, J. Massey Rhind, and Charles Henry Niehaus produced them in 1893. The doors depict church history, Bible scenes, and New York history.
The tower of Trinity Church contains 23 bells. Eight bells were cast for the second church. Twelve new change-ringing bells were added in 2006. This was the first ring of 12 in the United States.
Trinity Church is a National Historic Landmark. It is a contributing property to the Wall Street Historic District.