Philadelphia's Christ Church was becoming overcrowded in the mid-1750s. About 60 parishioners organized a committee, headed by Colonel Jacob Duché Sr, to build a new church in the newly settled Society Hill. St. Peter's was founded in 1758, and the land was donated in 1757 by Governor Thomas and Richard Penn.
To pay for the construction, much of the £5,000 expense was raised by lottery. Scottish architect Robert Smith designed the building in the mid-Georgian auditory style, featuring classical lines and clear glass windows. The church opened for worship on September 4, 1761, and served as a place of worship for many of the United States Founding Fathers during the Continental Congresses.
The pulpit and lectern project into the congregation from the opposite end of the aisle from the altar. The original high-backed box pews were designed to retain heat in winter, including Mayor Samuel Powel's box which George and Martha Washington often frequented. While the elite had their own boxes, slaves and servants of members sat on hard benches at the west end of the gallery.
St. Peter's remains an active Episcopal parish today, with the current rector being the Rev. Laurie Wurm. Visitors can still see the Penn family coat of arms above the wine-glass pulpit. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Kyle McLonely
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