St. Luke’s Church
Old Cahawba, Alabama
At a time when the American Episcopalians were trying to decide if they wanted to go in the direction of the Methodists or go back to “high churchism,” St. Luke’s was a vote for lofty Gothic Revival style in the heart of Alabama’s first capital.
According to Linda Derry, site director for the Old Cahawba Archaeological Park, the well-to-do locals who funded the church located it on the riverbank so boats passing by could be inspired by its design, and St. Luke’s had a major impact on the Gothic revival in the Episcopalian church until the church and the town became a frontier ghost town.
“Some of the Episcopalians picked it up and moved it 15 miles away out into the country, where it eventually became abandoned again until it became a Baptist church for tenant farmers,” said Derry.
As the Alabama Historical Commission worked to restore the greater site of Old Cahawba, the church was reacquired and moved to a location in town where it would be safe from flooding and could be restored.
The church is no longer home to a congregation, but it has been repaired and outfitted with electricity so that it can host events, including group visits, dinners and weddings, and Derry recommends that groups take in a walking, wagon or step-on tour of the full archaeological site during their visit.
“We can do different themes — the Civil War, African American history, the rise and decline of the town — depending on what the group is interested in,” she said. “In the beginning it was more like ‘Gunsmoke,’ and later it was more like ‘Gone With the Wind.’”
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
Columbia, South Carolina
With a congregation more than 200 years old, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral is the oldest sanctuary in Columbia, and it played an integral role in the lives of many of the foremost citizens of the city and the state, including six governors and three University of South Carolina presidents.
The sanctuary, which was elevated from church to cathedral in 1977, began its life in 1813 as a simple log cabin in the area today occupied by Trinity’s graveyard. In the 1840s, after the congregation had grown in both size and renown, a more ornate Gothic Revival church, complete with a Carrera marble baptismal font and gilt altar decorations, took the log cabin’s place. The 1845 building, which had a significant restoration in 2011, is modeled on York Cathedral in England.
Group tours last between 30 and 45 minutes and highlight the cathedral, the graveyard and the three-acre grounds with oak trees dating back to the Revolutionary War. In the cathedral, guides explain the history of the church and its architectural features, such as stained-glass windows featuring the Acts of the Apostles and the parables and miracles of Christ, and the more symbolic rose windows.
Regularly scheduled tours run March through May and September through November between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for groups of around 20 at a time, but groups can also call in advance to set up more specialized tours. On Sunday afternoons, the cathedral offers a special evensong performance, followed by a reception under the oaks, that is open to all visitors.
Memorial Presbyterian Church
St. Augustine, Florida
A private man by nature, Henry Morrison Flagler, founder of Standard Oil, had an incredible impact on the history of Florida and St. Augustine in particular, but many visitors have never heard of him. He tried hard to keep it that way.
“At one point, they were talking about naming Miami after him, and he said, ‘No! I don’t want that,’” said Memorial Presbyterian Church historian Jay Smith. “It is such a great pleasure to share Flagler with visitors.”
Memorial Presbyterian Church is one of the most personal of the many monuments Flagler left behind in St. Augustine, where his family wintered and was part of a Presbyterian congregation during their stays as early as 1824. Flagler commissioned it in 1889 to be built in just one year following the death of his eldest daughter due to the birth of his first grandchild, who also perished.
Though the size and color may not make the comparison clear at first, Memorial Presbyterian Church is built to echo St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, Italy, and the architectural details are on par with the church’s inspiration. Smith recommends allowing a minimum of 20 minutes to walk around the church and take in the details and the music of the organist, who is frequently practicing during tour hours.
This year, tours will be on hold due to repairs from May 31 to September 30. Otherwise, tours for groups of 15 to 50 are typically between 10:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. They include a historical presentation about Flagler and the history of the church and its congregation.
The church is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its dedication with events throughout the year.
