Details
Creator McAllister & Brother.
Contributor McAllister, John A. 1822-1896, collector.
Le Brun, Napoleon, 1821-1901, architect.
Title Seventh Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia. [graphic].
Publisher Philadelphia: McAllister & Brother, 728 Chestnut St
Publisher PA. Philadelphia. 1861
Date May 1861, c1861
Physical Description 7 photographic prints: 2 albumen on carte de visite mounts; 2 albumen on stereograph mounts; 3 albumen mounted on paper; 13 x 19 cm.(5.25 x 7.5 in.) or smaller.
Description Exterior and interior views of the church built 1842 after the designs of Napoleon LeBrun on Broad Street between Penn Square and Chestnut Street. Views show the front facade of the Greek Revival-style church, the altar, and pews as well as a group portrait of the controversial General Assembly of 1861 photographed May 29th, the day before the affirmative vote of the Gardner Springs resolution that required pastors and members of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. to swear political allegiance to the Federal Government. Exterior views also include street lamps and a partial view of an adjacent building.
Notes Contains two stereographic prints mounted on pale yellow mounts with square corners and printed titles, including one accompanied by a publisher's label describing the church and the history of the congregation. Also contains two stereographic prints mounted on paper and accompanied by publisher's labels; a one-half stereographic print mounted on paper; and two cartes de visite.
One of the images [(4)1322.F.43a] reproduced in Kenneth Finkel's Nineteenth century photography in Philadelphia (New York: Dover Publications, Inc. in cooperation with the Library Company of Philadelphia, 1980), entry #173.
Two of the images [(4)1322.F.43a & g] reproduced in The Print and Photograph Department of the Library Company of Philadelphia's Center City Philadelphia in the 19th century (Portsmouth, N.H.: Arcadia Publishing, 2006), p. 43.
Arcadia caption text [(4)1322.F.43a]: In May 1861, at the dawn of the Civil War, the General Assembly of the Old School Presbyterian Church gathered at the Seventh Church for its annual meeting. The meeting, a venue to address common concerns, became the last of a united Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. for 122 years. As a result of the passage of the Gardner Springs resolution, which required pastors and church members to swear political allegiance to the Federal Government, the Southern congregations of the Church formed the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America.
Arcadia caption text [(4)1322.F.43g]: The Seventh Presbyterian Church, the main site of public meetings in the Presbyterian community, was located on Broad Street above Chestnut Street. Built in 1842 after the designs of Philadelphia architect Napoleon Le Brun, the Classical-style church housed a congregation founded in 1804 by English Independents. In 1884, 23 years after this photo was taken, the congregation, reconstituted as the Tabernacle Church, held its last service at the site before relocating to Thirty-Seventh and Chestnut streets.
Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of views of Philadelphia.
Biographical / historical note McAllister & Brother, opticians, a partnership between brothers William Y., John A., and Thomas H. McAllister, was active 1853-1865.
Subject Seventh Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). General Assembly
Presbyterian churches -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Altars -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Pews -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Geographic subject Broad Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) -- South -- 000 block.
Genre Albumen prints -- 1860-1870.
Stereographs -- 1860-1870.
Cartes de visite -- 1860-1870.
Associated name Le Brun, Napoleon, 1821-1901, architect.
Provenance McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| stereo - McAllister & Bro. - Religion [1322.F.43b; (4)1322.F.43c, d, & g; (4)1322.F.44a]
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| cdv - McAllister & Bro. - Religion [(4)1322.F.43a & f]
Accession number 1322.F.43b
(4)1322.F.43a
(4)1322.F.43c
(4)1322.F.43d
(4)1322.F.43f
(4)1322.F.43g
(4)1322.F.44a