The Portico of St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery
Recently, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express announced 40 preservation projects in the running for grants through their annual Partners in Preservation program. This program seeks to increase the public’s awareness of the importance of historic preservation, and this year it’s focusing on preservation in New York City. From April 26 through May 21, 2012, local residents and people across the country are encouraged to vote for their favorite of 40 historic places throughout the five boroughs of New York City to receive preservation funding. While we encourage you to take a look at all the projects being considered this year, we here at Off The Grid wanted to spotlight the three projects within our neighborhoods. Today we’re looking at the Portico of St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery.
St. Mark’s Church stands on the oldest site of continuous worship in New York City and is the city’s second-oldest public building. The site was part of a farm (or “bouwerie”) purchased in 1651 by Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch Director-General of the New Netherland colony. The historic campus of St. Mark’s Church is formally oriented to face true south (skewed from the City’s grid), reflecting the original rural lane that once crossed in front of it and is still in evidence as Stuyvesant Street across from the church. On the exact site of the present day church, Stuyvesant built his personal Dutch Reform Chapel and, in 1672, was buried in a vault beneath the church. A great description of the historic grounds and buildings of St. Mark’s Church can be found at the St. Mark’s Historic Landmark Fund website.
The Portico, which fronts Stuyvesant Street, was built circa 1858 and attributed to James Bogardus, a noted early pioneer of cast iron architecture. According to Christopher Gray, Bogardus did not consider himself an architect, but an inventor in the 19th-century tradition, patenting cotton-spinning machinery, clocks, grinding mills, gas meters and printing apparatus. The portico, however, is in need of repair and St. Mark’s welcomes your help. CLICK HERE to cast your vote for the St. Mark’s Portico!