Devoted parishioners founded St. Michael’s Church right here in 1807. It began as a simple white frame building. It served those seeking worship closer to their summer homes. These homes overlooked the Hudson River.
St. Michael’s Church has stood on this very site for over two centuries. This makes it almost unique among Upper Manhattan’s houses of worship. Imagine the city transforming around this constant beacon.
The original congregation included Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. She was the widow of Alexander Hamilton. The church evolved over time. A second Carpenter Gothic building served from 1854 to 1891.
Now, look at the current limestone Romanesque building. It was built in 1890-91. Robert W. Gibson designed it. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. It became a New York City landmark in 2016.
Notice the square Romanesque bell tower. It rises 160 feet high. The current building stands on what was once a cemetery. The decision was made not to disturb the buried.
Step inside and be amazed by the Tiffany stained glass. Louis Comfort Tiffany designed the seven great lancet windows. They depict St. Michael’s Victory in Heaven. The windows were installed in 1895. Artists Clara W. Parrish, Edward P. Sperry, Louis J. Lederle, and Joseph Lauber assisted Tiffany.
Later, the Chapel of the Angels received two more Tiffany stained glass windows. A large Tiffany mosaic was placed behind the altar. These Tiffany features were installed between 1891 and 1920. The windows were restored in 1990.
Listen. The church has fine acoustics. Hear the sounds of the two tracker-action pipe organs. The Rudolph von Beckerath Organ Company of Hamburg, Germany, built them in 1967.
St. Michael’s Church has influenced New York City’s physical and social development. It founded at least six other New York churches. These include All Angels’ Church.
After the Civil War, St. Michael’s supported the Bloomingdale Clinic. It also aided the District Nurse Association, Day Nursery, and Circulating Library. In the 1980s, the congregation dwindled. By 1987, it had grown again.
Today, St. Michael’s Church is known for its diverse congregation. People come from all over New York City to worship here. The church offers a wide range of programs.
Consider the sale of air rights. It allowed St. Michael’s to finance a major building restoration. This ensured its survival for future generations.
St. Michael’s rectory stands at the head of the former St. Michael’s Lane. You can still trace the lane’s ghostly presence in nearby back alleys.
St. Michael’s Church stands as a testament to faith. It is a landmark that enriches the cultural landscape of New York City. Its history is etched in its stones and stained glass. It continues to evolve.