Imagine stepping back in time to 1651. Here at St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, Petrus Stuyvesant bought land for his farm. It was a Dutch “bouwerij”. By 1660, he built a family chapel right on this very site.
St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery boasts 350 years of history. It stands as New York City’s oldest site of continuous religious practice. The church building itself is the second-oldest in Manhattan.
Stuyvesant’s chapel faced true South. This is why the current church is skewed from the city grid. The chapel stood on a rural lane before the city grew northward. Stuyvesant was buried beneath the chapel when he died in 1672.
The original chapel isn’t what you see today. In 1793, Stuyvesant’s great-grandson sold the chapel to the Episcopal Church for just one dollar. He requested that a new chapel be erected. In 1795, the cornerstone of the present St. Mark’s Church was laid.
John McComb Jr. built this fieldstone Georgian-style church. He also built New York City Hall. St. Mark’s Church was consecrated on May 9 1799. Alexander Hamilton helped incorporate St. Mark’s. It became the first Episcopal parish independent of Trinity Church in the United States.
St. Mark’s Church grew significantly in the 1800s. It became the spiritual home to many notable families. These included New York City mayors Philip Hone and Gideon Lee. Also, New York State Attorney General Thomas Addis Emmet belonged to this church. Commodore Matthew C. Perry and Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins were also members.
The church building saw many improvements over time. In 1828, the church steeple was erected. Martin Euclid Thompson and Ithiel Town designed it. In 1835, the Parish Hall was built. The Sanctuary was renovated in 1836. Square pillars were replaced with slender Egyptian Revival pillars.
The cast- and wrought-iron fence was added in 1838. In 1856, the Italianate cast-iron portico was added. A brick addition came in 1861. Beautiful stained-glass windows were installed in 1903. You can still see some on the Sanctuary’s first floor. In 1913, St. Mark’s received the altarpiece of the annunciation. It is a reproduction of an original by Andrea della Robbia from around 1475.
In 1966, the Poetry Project and The Film Project were founded here. Later, The Film Project became the Millennium Film Workshop. In 1975, the Danspace Project was founded.
A fire nearly destroyed St. Mark’s Church on July 27 1978. The Citizens to Save St Mark’s was founded to raise funds. The Preservation Youth Project carried out the reconstruction. Architect Harold Edelman and craftspeople supervised the work. The restoration was completed in 1986.
Queen Juliana of the Netherlands visited St. Mark’s Church in 1952. She laid a wreath at the bust of Petrus Stuyvesant. Her mother, Queen Wilhelmina, gave the bust to the church in 1915.
St. Mark’s Church has supported the arts since the 19th century. Kahlil Gibran was a member of the Arts Committee in 1919. He presented readings of his works and an exhibition of his drawings. Isadora Duncan danced in the church in 1922. Martha Graham danced here in 1930.
Many prominent New Yorkers are buried in the churchyards. Peter Stuyvesant and Daniel D. Tompkins rest here. Two New York City Mayors, Gideon Lee and Philip Hone, are also buried here.
Today, St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery remains a vibrant center. It is a place of worship, community, and artistic expression. Its long history echoes through the walls and grounds. It continues to serve New York City. St. Mark’s welcomes all. Worship services are held at 11 AM on Sundays.