Memorial Presbyterian Church, St. Augustine, Florida

by Felix Lai

Title

Memorial Presbyterian Church, St. Augustine, Florida

Artist

Felix Lai

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Photograph - Photograph

Description

This photo captures the beautiful Memorial Presbyterian Church at night in St. Augustine, Florida. Just like many historical buildings in St Augustine, it was built by Henry Flagler, the oil tycoon in nineteenth century. St Augustine is my favorite city in Florida. If you are interested in history and non-Disney culture, this is a must see city in Florida!

Memorial Presbyterian Church
The Memorial Presbyterian Church is a historic church located at 36 Valencia Street in St. Augustine, Florida, United States. The church has been named by many news outlets, including CNN and USA Today, as one of the religious wonders of the U.S. and one of the most beautiful Protestant churches in the world. The church was built in 1889 by business tycoon and St. Augustine benefactor Henry Morrison Flagler and dedicated in honor of his daughter Jennie Louise Benedict, who died following complications from childbirth at sea the same year, hence the word Memorial.

Designed by the New York architectural firm of Carrère and Hastings in the Second Renaissance Revival style and inspired by St Mark's Basilica in Venice, the church was built utilizing a novel construction technique pioneered by Franklin W. Smith, builder of the Villa Zorayda. This building method utilizing poured concrete mixed with crushed coquina stone, was utilized in Smith's Casa Monica Hotel, as well as in Flagler's Ponce de Leon Hotel and Alcazar Hotel, both of which last were designed by Carrère and Hastings, with construction overseen by Smith.

Like the Alcazar and Ponce de Leon, many of the architectural details were created with terra cotta.

Upon Flagler's death in 1913 he was interred in a marble mausoleum within the church beside his daughter Jennie Louise and her infant Marjorie, as well as his first wife Mary Harkness Flagler.

The current Pastor and Head of Staff, as of 2017, is the Rev. Dr. W. Hunter Camp, II.

* Copyright Felix Lai. Watermark will not appear on final prints of the photograph.

Uploaded

March 11th, 2018

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