Armonk
New York
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St Stephens Episcopal Church
History
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church was organized 160 years ago on October 10, 1842, in a log cabin which had served as the headquarters for the 1840 presidential campaign of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too". Construction on the church building also began in 1842 and remains untouched today except for the memorial windows, and the removal of the balcony, pew doors, and wood-burning stoves. The church, in its classic Greek Revival style, is the architectural focal point of the Bedford Road Historic District, which includes nine contiguous properties reflecting Armonk's formation and early growth. A two-acre cemetery contains nearly 450 graves that include notable figures in the history of the town and church.
The period from the late 1860s to the 1880s saw the original clear glass windows removed and stained glass installed. The balcony was also taken out and the present chancel area added.
As part of its centennial celebration in 1942, the parish borrowed $700 to pay for needed repairs: rebuilding the chimney, repairing the foundation sills and painting. Gene Curry recalls vestry members replacing the old sills underneath the church with jacks and crowbars,
The parish hall was begun in 1948 and continued over a few years as money become available. For some years the interior was attractive building paper. The office and classroom addition was added in 1956. A major project for St. Stephen's 125th Anniversary in 1968 was the purchase of a 17-rank Casavant pipe organ, built especially for the parish in the company's Quebec plant.
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church was organized 160 years ago on October 10, 1842, in a log cabin which had served as the headquarters for the 1840 presidential campaign of "Tippecanoe and Tyler too". Construction on the church building also began in 1842 and remains untouched today except for the memorial windows, and the removal of the balcony, pew doors, and wood-burning stoves. The church, in its classic Greek Revival style, is the architectural focal point of the Bedford Road Historic District, which includes nine contiguous properties reflecting Armonk's formation and early growth. A two-acre cemetery contains nearly 450 graves that include notable figures in the history of the town and church.
The period from the late 1860s to the 1880s saw the original clear glass windows removed and stained glass installed. The balcony was also taken out and the present chancel area added.
As part of its centennial celebration in 1942, the parish borrowed $700 to pay for needed repairs: rebuilding the chimney, repairing the foundation sills and painting. Gene Curry recalls vestry members replacing the old sills underneath the church with jacks and crowbars,
The parish hall was begun in 1948 and continued over a few years as money become available. For some years the interior was attractive building paper. The office and classroom addition was added in 1956. A major project for St. Stephen's 125th Anniversary in 1968 was the purchase of a 17-rank Casavant pipe organ, built especially for the parish in the company's Quebec plant.