Spring Street Presbyterian Church

Spring Street Presbyterian Church
New Spring Street Presbyterian Church
Spring Street Presbyterian Church
40°43′32″N74°00′19″W / 40.7255°N 74.0054°W / 40.7255; -74.0054
Location	SoHo, Manhattan, New York, US
Denomination	Presbyterian
History
Founded	1811
Associated people	Samuel Hanson Cox Grimké sisters Henry G. Ludlow Samuel Osgood Henry Rutgers
Architecture
Functional status	Closed
Construction cost	Over $10,000
Closed	December 14, 1963

Spring Street Presbyterian Church was a Presbyterian church on Spring and Varick Streets, in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City. Noted for its abolitionist stance, it was mostly forgotten until 2006, when bodies buried in its cemetery were rediscovered during construction.

History

Founding and leadership under Samuel Hanson Cox

In the early 19th century, a Presbyterian church in what is today SoHo did not exist. Before Spring Street Presbyterian Church, worshippers either attended the First Presbyterian Church or led prayer in their homes and businesses. One of these, a grocery store and/or home, owned by Trinity Church, was at the future site of the Spring Street Church. ^[1]

In 1807, the site of Spring Street Church was bought by a group of men, of which included politicians Henry Rutgers and Samuel Osgood. Its cornerstone was placed on July 5, 1810. Built with materials from the First Presbyterian Church following its cessation, its construction costed more then $10,000, which indebted the church by the time it opened. The church had 176 pews, fifty of which sat in a raised viewing area. It was made an official Presbyterian church in 1811. It was renovated in 1818. ^[1]

The Spring Street Church's first pastor was Matthew La Rue Perrine, who led the church from October 31, 1811, to 1820. He was succeeded by Samuel Hanson Cox, an abolitionist. Under his leadership, the church desegregated. In 1825, Cox and his followers left the church to move further into Lower Manhattan. ^[2] All but 43 members of the church remained at the original location, and the Presbytery of New York derecognized it as a church. ^[1]

Leadership under Henry G. Ludlow and later years

The old church renamed itself to the NewSpring Street Presbyterian Church. It was bought by George P. Shipman of the Brick Presbyterian Church, who transferred the property to Abijah Fisher. After a series of temporary pastors, Henry G. Ludlow was made pastor on December 25, 1828. Despite being an abolitionist, the church was segregated under his leadership. During the New York anti-abolitionist riots of 1834, the Spring Street Church was attacked by a mob, due to rumors the church officiated interracial marriages. They destroyed the interior and used the pews and organ to build a barrier between themselves and the National Guard. They also rang the church bell to taunt the National Guard and draw more rioters. ^[1]

Following the riots, $10,000 was raised to fund the rebuilding of Spring Street Church. Completed in June 1836, the rebuilt church was larger and sat on property bought by the church prior to the riot. After this, Ludlow and the congregation showed disapproval of interracial marriage, though otherwise supported civil rights. In 1837, Ludlow left the church, and the Grimké sisters began speaking there. Following the closure of the Laight Street Baptist Church, the attendance of Spring Street Church signifigantly grew. ^[1]

The church struggled financially in the 1850s, with its sale being considered in 1857; the Duane Street Methodist Episcopal Church and the Thirteenth Street Presbyterian Church both placed bids, with the latter placing $11,000. Spring Street Church attempted to retract their offer, but Thirteenth Street made them pay $5,000 to do so. Financial struggles continued into the 1860s, paying off its debts in 1867. The same year, the church hired pastor, A. W. Halsey. By 1877, debt returned. The church declined and was dissolved on December 14, 1963. ^[2] The property was sold to The Salvation Army in 1966, who planned to demolish it. The plans ceased after a fire burnt the church down. ^{[1] [3]}

Burial vaults

The Spring Street Church operated burial vaults, located east of the church. Burials were dated between 1820 and 1850, ^[4] with one costing $10 for adults and $2–$8 for children. On May 18, 1831, two additional vaults were built. ^[2] Due to burial regulation, the vaults went unused, with exception to William M. Carter, the Spring Street Church sexton, who buried his daughter in the vault in 1829, which he was fined for. ^[1]

After the property was sold to The Salvation Army in 1966, a parking lot was built atop the burial vaults. In December 2006, the remains of the burials were rediscovered during construction of The Dominick skyscraper. ^{[1] [5] [6] [7]} The bodies were moved to Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. ^[6] Archeological excavation occurred in December 2007. ^[8] When studied, the children were discovered to have caught scurvy and rickets. ^[9]

References

1. Meade, Elizabeth D. (2010). ""A Free Church for the People": The History of the Spring Street Church and Its Burial Vaults". Northeast Historical Archaeology. 39 (1): 8–18. doi:10.22191/neha/vol39/iss1/2. ISSN   0048-0738.
2. Stephens, Lannyl (December 14, 2017). "A History of the Spring Street Presbyterian Church – Village Preservation". Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation . Retrieved September 14, 2025.
3. "Abandoned Church On Spring Street Destroyed by Fire". The New York Times. November 7, 1966. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
4. Ellis, Meredith A. B. (March 2020). "Still Life: A Bioarchaeological Portrait of Perinatal Remains Buried at the Spring Street Presbyterian Church". Historical Archaeology. 54 (1): 184–201. doi:10.1007/s41636-019-00216-5. ISSN   0440-9213.
5. Novak, Shannon A. (June 2017). "Corporeal Congregations and Asynchronous Lives: Unpacking the Pews at Spring Street: Corporeal Congregations and Asynchronous Lives". American Anthropologist. 119 (2): 236–252. doi:10.1111/aman.12883.
6. Dunlap, David W. (October 8, 2014). "Burial Vaults Inspire a Celebration of a Church Opposed to Slavery". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
7. Lombino, David (December 13, 2006). "Trump SoHo Project Is on Hold After Discovery of Human Remains". The New York Sun. Archived from the original on July 6, 2008. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
8. Mooney, Douglas (January 29, 2014). "Lost within the Rubble: The Archaeological Findings from the Spring Street Presbyterian Church Burial Vaults". Northeast Historical Archaeology. 39 (1). doi:10.22191/neha/vol39/iss1/3. ISSN   0048-0738.
9. Killgrove, Kristina (June 30, 2015). "Children In Manhattan Got Scurvy And Rickets, 19th Century Skeletons Reveal". Forbes. Retrieved September 14, 2025.