Old Christ Church (Pensacola, Florida)

	Old Christ Church
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location	405 S. Adams St., Pensacola, Florida
Coordinates	30°24′33″N87°12′38″W / 30.40917°N 87.21056°W
Area	0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.	74000621
Added to NRHP	May 3, 1974

Last updated August 22, 2024

The Old Christ Church, also known as Christ Church, built in 1832 in Pensacola, Florida is a historic Episcopal church building. It is one of the oldest surviving church buildings in Florida.^[2] On May 3, 1974, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

History

In 1828, Episcopal Priest Ralph Williston arrived in Pensacola, Florida. Florida had recently been acquired (in 1822) by the United States; with the acquisition came a surge of missionaries. With some of the town's Protestants supporting him, Williston acquired a charter and the property to build a church.^[4] In 1829, the congregation was incorporated by an act of the territorial Legislative Council and in 1830, construction began.^[5] In 1832, the first worship services were held by Reverend Addison Searle.^[4]

During the Civil War, many of Pensacola's residents left.^[4] The church was used as a barracks and military chapel by Union soldiers. In 1865, regular church services resumed.^[5] In 1902, a new Christ Church was built and the congregation relocated there. The old church was then used by a black Episcopal congregation from 1903-1905.^[5]^[6] In 1936, the church was deconsecrated and given to the City of Pensacola. The church then served as the town's library ^[4] from 1937 to 1957. Since 1960, the church has been occupied by the UWF Historical Trust.^[5]

Excavations

From May to July 1988, the University of West Florida began excavating the church in search of the graves of three early priests buried in the 1830s:^[7]^{: 127–128} Reverends Saunders, Peake, and Flower.^[8]^: 131 Contemporary church officials suspected that Union soldiers had disturbed the graves during the occupation of the church but historians did not agree.^[7]^: 128

In 1879, the church was expanded and its original vestry, built in 1830-1832, was demolished.^[8]^: 131 During excavations of the original vestry area, three burials were found.^[8]^: 132 Although there were no burial markers, it is believed that the burials found were of Saunders, Peake, and Flower.^[8]^: 136 The excavation also found the remains of a burned First Spanish building and wall-structures not reflected on any colonial maps.^[9]

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References

↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
↑ "Old Christ Church". Historic Pensacola. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
↑ A Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture, 1989, Gainesville: University of Florida Press, p. 7, ISBN 0-8130-0941-3
1 2 3 4 Appleyard, John (2 June 2019). "A look back at the beginnings of Old Christ Church". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved 2022-03-19.
1 2 3 4 Hagen, Richard; Ellsworth, Linda (19 February 1973). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form". National Park Services.
↑ Dunn, Hampton (1 December 1960). "Pensacola's "new" Christ Church not new". University of South Florida Scholar Commons.
1 2 Bense, Judith (June 1990). "The Search for the Lost Rectors: A Public Archaeology Project - Overview and Project Description". The Florida Anthropologist. 43 (2): 127–130 – via University of Florida.
1 2 3 4 Joy, Deborah (June 1990). "Excavations Under Old Christ Church in Pensacola, Florida". The Florida Anthropologist. 43 (2): 131–137 – via University of Florida.
↑ "Old Christ Church Historical Marker". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 2022-03-19.

External links

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[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.

[2] "Old Christ Church". Historic Pensacola. Retrieved 2022-03-19.

[Florida's_Historic_Architecture_1989,_p._7-3] A Guide to Florida's Historic Architecture, 1989, Gainesville: University of Florida Press, p. 7, ISBN 0-8130-0941-3

[:0-4] 1 2 3 4 Appleyard, John (2 June 2019). "A look back at the beginnings of Old Christ Church". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved 2022-03-19.

[:1-5] 1 2 3 4 Hagen, Richard; Ellsworth, Linda (19 February 1973). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form". National Park Services.

[6] Dunn, Hampton (1 December 1960). "Pensacola's "new" Christ Church not new". University of South Florida Scholar Commons.

[:2-7] 1 2 Bense, Judith (June 1990). "The Search for the Lost Rectors: A Public Archaeology Project - Overview and Project Description". The Florida Anthropologist. 43 (2): 127–130 – via University of Florida.

[:3-8] 1 2 3 4 Joy, Deborah (June 1990). "Excavations Under Old Christ Church in Pensacola, Florida". The Florida Anthropologist. 43 (2): 131–137 – via University of Florida.

[9] "Old Christ Church Historical Marker". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 2022-03-19.

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