Category: Architecture
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The St. Francis Chapel and Italian Immigrants in the North End
Built in 1918, Old North Church’s Gift Shop was once the St. Francis of Assisi Chapel, an important religious and cultural center for Italian Protestant immigrants living in Boston’s North End. Delaney Sieber, our Research Intern, put together this video delving into the unique relationship between these Italian immigrants and Old North Church. See the…
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The Two Episcopal Vicars Who Led Old North During Its Steeple Rebuilding Campaign, 1954-1956
Join us for a two-part blog series based on research by Fall 2022 Old North Illuminated Research Intern, Lee Parker. In part one, you learned about the people who contributed to helping the Old North Church rebuild its steeple after Hurricane Carol felled it in 1954. You discovered how efforts to rebuild the famed steeple catapulted…
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How Old North’s Steeple Fundraising Campaign Helped Define American Identity, 1954-1956
Join us for a two-part blog series based on research by Fall 2022 Old North Illuminated Research Intern, Lee Parker. Here in part one, you will learn about the people who contributed to helping the Old North Church rebuild its steeple after Hurricane Carol felled it in 1954. Discover how efforts to rebuild the famed…
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Centering Women’s Work in the History of Old North Church’s Parish House
If you have visited Old North, then you may have noticed the three-story brick townhouse that sits next to the church. Have you ever wondered what this building is used for? Delaney Sieber, our Research Intern and Educator, put together this short video exploring the interesting history of the Parish House. See the video and…
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99% Sure | Ep 11: The Surprising Origins of Old North’s Gift Shop
First built in 1918, Old North Church’s gift shop has a surprising history. It was once a chapel that ministered to Waldensians, a medieval Christian sect with origins in the 12th century. Learn how this historic building become a pillar of the community for Italian-American Protestants living in the North End. See below for the…
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99% Sure | Ep 10: How Much Did a Pew Cost?
How much did it cost to buy a box pew at Old North Church? The answer to this simple question is not so simple! In this new episode of 99% Sure, our researcher T.J. Todd takes a deep dive into the economics of owning a pew at Old North. See below for the video, episode…
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99% Sure | Ep 8: The Bells of Old North
There are a number of persistent legends surrounding Old North Church’s iconic bells. In this episode of our web series 99% Sure, Old North’s researcher T.J. Todd debunks these myths and tells the true history behind our bells. See below for the video, episode transcript, extra information, and sources! Episode Transcript If you’ve ever been…
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Windows Restored in Old North’s Early 20th-Century Chapel
The Old North Church & Historic Site has restored the windows of the early 20th-century St. Francis Chapel, which houses the Old North Gift Shop, with funding from The George B. Henderson Foundation. The St. Francis Chapel, built in 1918, is adjacent to the Old North Church and shares Old North’s status as a national landmark.…
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The People in the Pews: The Bay Pew
Near the very front of the Old North Church is a plush, velvet-lined pew dedicated to the “Gentlemen of the Bay of Honduras.” It is a curious feature for a church built in Boston, and the faded brass marker on “The Bay Pew” reveals a dramatic chapter in the rich history of New England, the…
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The People in the Pews: Capt. William Maxwell
In the center aisle of Christ Church (Old North) hang two ornate brass chandeliers, gifts to the church by one of its members, Capt. William Maxwell. Maxwell owned pew #29. They were first lit on Christmas Day in 1724. For many of us living here in New England today, December is a month filled with…