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Troy in Rensselaer County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Church of the Holy Cross

 
 
Church of the Holy Cross Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, January 15, 2009
1. Church of the Holy Cross Marker
Inscription.
The Church of the
Holy Cross 1844
Its Rectory 1857
The Mary Warren Free
Institute School 1862
Are Listed Upon
The National Register of
Historic Places in Recognition
of their Architectural and
Historical Significance
1973

 
Erected 1973.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Churches & Religion. A significant historical year for this entry is 1844.
 
Location. 42° 43.946′ N, 73° 41.012′ W. Marker is in Troy, New York, in Rensselaer County. Marker is on 8th Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 136 8th St, Troy NY 12180, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. West Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); W & L E Gurley Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Great Fire of 1862 (approx. 0.2 miles away); History of 1819 Fifth Avenue (approx. ¼ mile away); Ebenezer Emmons (approx. 0.3 miles away); Welcome to the Collar City! (approx. 0.3 miles away); Uncle Sam Monument (approx. 0.3 miles away); Locking Through (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Troy.
 
Regarding Church of the Holy Cross. The Church of the Holy Cross was founded
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by Mary Warren in the early 1840's. Under the direction of Mary Warren's son, Nathan B. Warren, the church nave was built from designs by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1844. The chancel addition, by Richard Upjohn, was completed in late 1848 and dedicated in January, 1849. In 1846, the Church of the Holy Cross instituted the first full choral service in an Episcopal church in the United States. In the full choral service, the psalter, creed and responses of the English Cathedral Service are chanted by the choir while the officiant intones his part. In 1863, the Mary Warren Free Institute was built adjoining the church to the south in order to further religious and musical instruction in the Episcopal Church.

Mary Warren's son, Nathan B. Warren, carried on the building project, employing Alexander Jackson Davis to design the original church in 1843, Richard Upjohn to expand the chancel in 1848, and Henry Dudley to complete the proposed additions to the ante-chapel suggested by the Ante-Chapel at New College, Oxford, England. The altarpiece for the original church, representing "The Evening of the Crucifixion", was presented to the church by Robert W. Weir, Professor of Drawing at West Point. The Bible was given by Amos S. Perry, a resident of Troy, and the prayer books were an offering from the Clergy of Northern New York who gave them as an expression of sympathy for the
Church of the Holy Cross & Rectory image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, April 9, 2004
2. Church of the Holy Cross & Rectory
death of the founder and respect for her family's continuation of the enterprise.

The first rector of the church, the Reverend John Ireland Tucker, held that office for fifty years. During this time he was prominently identified with Episcopal Church music. He was editor and/or author of prefaces for The Hymnal, With Tunes Old and New (1873), The Service Book of Anglican Chants and Gregorian Tones (1878) and The Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged [1894) which became popularly known as the 'Second Tucker,' During his administration, the Church of the Holy Cross instituted the first full choral service in an Episcopal church in the United States, The impact of religious music on the congregation must have been of increasingly important concern to the Warren family and the Church of the Holy Cross; in 1865 the Mary Warren Free Institute was completed, adjoining the church on the south, and dedicated to the teaching of religion and church music.

Facing a dwindling parish size and financial troubles, like many others across denominations, the Episcopal church held its last Mass at the Church of the Holy Cross on the afternoon of December 6, 2009 before closing down. Discussions to sell the building to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, which the 1840s-era structure sits adjacent to, have been ongoing for some time.
 
Also see . . .
Church of the Holy Cross image. Click for full size.
Historic American Buildings Survey
3. Church of the Holy Cross
Perspective view of Church, Belvry on left (as re-sited in 1859) and Mary Warren Free Institute on right (Built in 1863)
 Church of the Holy Cross, Troy New York. Historic Structures website entry (Submitted on May 8, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.) 
 
Church of the Holy Cross - Bell Tower image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, January 6, 2009
4. Church of the Holy Cross - Bell Tower
Church of the Holy Cross - One of the Bells image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, February 5, 2011
5. Church of the Holy Cross - One of the Bells
Church of the Holy Cross on 8th Street, Troy, NY image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, January 15, 2009
6. Church of the Holy Cross on 8th Street, Troy, NY
Church of the Holy Cross - View Down Nave Toward Apse image. Click for full size.
Historic American Buildings Survey
7. Church of the Holy Cross - View Down Nave Toward Apse
Church of the Holy Cross image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, February 5, 2011
8. Church of the Holy Cross
Collection of the Rensselaer County Historical Society
Church of the Holy Cross Chancel image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, February 5, 2011
9. Church of the Holy Cross Chancel
Church of the Holy Cross image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, February 5, 2011
10. Church of the Holy Cross
One of the church's stained glass windows, and the painting that inspired it.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on May 8, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. This page has been viewed 879 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 29, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York.   7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on July 30, 2011, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 19, 2024