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HomeMy WebLinkAboutContinuation Sheet - 17 Whig, Trumansburg.pdfN.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet Address: 17 Whig Street Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg Narrative Description of Property F'HILCWATHli n - u {� 1 � t 15 13 's AMC � BATF OUC BCH J � St. James the Apostle Church is located on the north side of Whig Street between Elm Street to the west and South Street to the east. The rectory is connected to the sacristy by a "pine panel hall." (See Narrative Description of Significance.) The end - gable church retains little of its historic fabric, with the exception of the rusticated cut stone foundation. The exterior is clad with vinyl, with the exception of a brick veneer on the main (south) facade and the southern ends of the east and west facades. A cross extends off of the apex of the roof at the south end, a replacement for a previous one that was damaged by lightening. The roof is clad in asphalt shingles. The main (south) fagade of the church has a plain brick wall that is articulated by four engaged vinyl columns. They support a pediment that contains a round -arch opening. A pair of carved wooden doors, depicting symbols found inside the sanctuary and associated with St. James, are protected by a round -arched portico that extends to the south of the main facade. The portico is decorated with a fan light and supported by four flouted vinyl columns paired on brick bases. A multisided light fixture of yellow glass is centered on the fagade above the entrance. The rectory was a pre-existing house on Whig Street that added to the church complex after St. James relocated from Main Street. Constructed ca. 1850s, the house is a mature representative of the Greek Revival style. It has a heavy full pediment and an open porch along the main (south) fagade that is supported by posts with simple, heavy capitals and bases. The house retains its original double -hung wood sash with 6/6 lights. To the west of the rectory is the small St. James of the Apostle Cemetery. To the east of the church is a large parking lot, also owned by the church. Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet Address: 17 Whig Street Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg Narrative Description of Significance The current building was the second sanctuary used by Trumansburg Catholics. Their first facility was originally constructed by the Methodists on a lot on the north side of Main Street, east of the present structure. The Methodist congregation purchased the lot from Trumansburg's namesake and one of the seven original church trustees, Abner Treman, and constructed the building for $1,800. It was dedicated on January 3, 1832 (Sears, 13; TUMC History). Catholics, mostly of Irish origins, began settling in the area around Interlaken (known then as Farmer Village), Ovid and Trumansburg in the late 1830s and 1840s (History of St James). By 1848, three Catholic families lived in Trumansburg and they organized services under the leadership of Father Michael Gilbride of Ithaca. First meeting in private homes, including that of Lawrence Birney, the small group soon began considering a permanent sanctuary. In 1852, Bishop John Timon of Buffalo visited Trumansburg to meet with Father Gilbride and discuss plans for a new church (Martin, 68). The Catholic population continued to grow, and after Father Gilbride passed away in 1854, Father Gleason continued the endeavor. By the 1850s, the Methodist congregation had outgrown their first facility. Father Gleason negotiated the purchase of the first Methodist church. Lawrence Binery took responsibility of the necessary masonry work (History of St. James). The church was named for James, the disciple of Jesus and brother of John of Gospel. His feast day is July 25, and he is the patron saint of Spain and of pilgrims (History of St. James). The Trumansburg parish was dedicated on April 18, 1857 by Bishop Timon (Buffalo), and served as one of two mission churches of the Immaculate Conception Parish (Ithaca). Masses were conducted on an irregular schedule, the presiding priest having to travel from Ithaca, until Bishop McQuaid, the first bishop of Rocestester, established Trumansburg as an independent parish. The Catholics of Farmer Village (Interlaken) were grouped into the Trumansburg parish, and the grouping collectively added up to approximately 85 families (History of St. James). The congregation continued to grow, numbering 179 families by the late 1870s. While under the leadership of Father Madden, the church was moved from its original Main Street location to its present site on Whig Street. The reason for the move is not listed among the local history books, but the subsequent expansion (by roughly 33%) and the addition of a parsonage suggests that space was an important consideration. St. James became the first Trumansburg church with electrical power, and the tower was replaced by a "symmetrical spire topped with a cross" (History of St. James). Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 2 N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet Address: 17 Whig Street Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg Narrative Description of Significance (continued) During the 1920s and early 1930s, Fr. Esser made many alterations to the church and the property. The congregation added an addition to the rectory for use by a housekeeper, as well as purchased a pipe organ from the Methodist church in Watkins Glen. The only mausoleum in the adjacent cemetery was purchased by Edward Murphy and constructed in that period (History of St. James). During the subsequent decade (1935-1945), the basement was remodeled and a new drainage system installed, the rectory was refurbished, and a new pipe organ installed (History of St. James). Under Fr. Kelly, renovations continued. In 1946, the sanctuary was renovated, including the addition of a new alter and new statuary. Around 1947, a pine panel hall was constructed, connecting the sacristy and the rectory for use for social functions, a purpose it retains today (History of St. James). Sadly, Fr. Kelly's renovations did not survive for long. Martin writes: the church burn[ed on] January 28, 1949, leaving nothing but a shell. Sunday mass after the fire was offered in the burg Theater, at the invitation of its owner William Ryan, and after it closed a mass schedule began in the Cayuga Theater. Daily mass was celebrated in the front room of the rectory. Work to rebuild began on October 10, 1949, and the first mass held in the church after the fire was on March 5, 1950. On June 11, Bishop James E. Kearney offered a low mass and dedicated an almost newly built St. James (Martin, 69). In the 1950s, the parish leadership hoped to start a parochial school, but were unable to raise sufficient money. The 1960s, post -Vatican II, brought a second alter, building in front of the first, a response to the call for priests to no longer have their back to the congregation (History of St. James). In more recent years, alterations included new wooden doors on the main (south) fagade, which were carved by a parishioner. "The carvings incorporate some the carved motifs found inside the church, along with a dove and the shell symbol for St. James. To protect the doors a portico was built at the front of the church. A new roof was put on the main church building and the church's cross, damaged by a lightening strike, has been replaced with a new one created by a parishioner, Bill Hogan" (History of St. James). Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 3 N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet Address: 17 Whig Street Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg Narrative Description of Significance (continued) Pastors of St. James the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Trumansburg N.Y. ( From History of St. James_) Rev. James O'Connor (Ovid and Farmer Village) 1870-1872 Rev. Gilbert Nuonno (Trumansburg and Farmer Village) 1872-1877 Rev. Angelo Lugero (Trumansburg and Farmer Village) 1877-1881 Rev. Michael T. Madden (Trumansburg and Interlaken) 1881-1909 Rev. T. J. Harrington (Trumansburg and Interlaken) 1909-1920 Rev. E. Joseph Esser (Trumansburg and Interlaken) 1920-1935 Rev. G. Stuart Hogan (Trumansburg and Interlaken) 1935-1945 Rev. Leonard A. Kelly (Trumansburg and Interlaken 1945-1954 Rev. Francis A. Marks (Trumansburg and Interlaken) 1954-1960 Rev. Bernard C. Hanna 1960-1965 Rev. Lawrence W. Sansom 1966-1970 Rev. Albert V. Ryan 1970-1980 Rev. Robert Kanka 1980-1994 Fr. John O'Hare, OFM Cap 1994-1996 Fr. Eugene O'Hara, OFM Cap 1996-2006 Fr. John Tokaz, OFM Cap 2006 -August 2014 Fr. Bernard M. Maloney, OFM Cap August, 2014 -present Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 4 N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet Address: 17 Whig Street Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg Figure 1: Main (south) facade Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 5 N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet Address: 17 Whig Street Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg Figure 2: Main (south) facade of rectory Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 6 N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet Address: 17 Whig Street Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg $r. J h M k S CHURCH, TRUMA NSM KU, X- V. nt-4 4-4-4� Figure 3: St. James, prior to fire. No date. Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 7 N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet Address: 17 Whig Street Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg Sources Celebration of the Bicentennial of the United States of America in the Town of Ulysses and the Village of Trumansburg. Publisher unknown: 1976. Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970. Ann Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest UMI, 2001. A History of Trumansburg. Trumansburg, NY: The Free Press, 1890. Martin, Carolyn A. Trumansburg, New York Incorporation Centennial." Trumansburg, NY: The Trumansburg Centennial Association Incorporated, 1972. Sears, Lydia. A History of Trumansburg, New York, 1792-1967. Location unknown: I -T Publishing Corp, 1978. St. James the Apostle. "History of St. James the Apostle Parish in Trumansburg, NY." http://www.stjamestburg.com/history/, accessed August 7, 2014. Tompkins County. "Property Description Report For: 18 Whig St, Municipality of V. Trumansburg." Image Mate Online. Accessed July 29, 2014. Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 8