Old St. Peter's Landmark
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| Old St. Peter's Landmark | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | The Dalles, Oregon |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1897 |
| Added to NRHP: | 1974 |
Old Saint Peter's Landmark, commonly referred to simply as Old St. Peter's, is a historic building located at the corner of 3rd and Lincoln Streets in downtown The Dalles, Oregon. It was built in 1897 and dedicated on March 17, 1898 as St. Peter's Church, and served the local Roman Catholic congregation as its place of worship until 1968. It was saved from scheduled demolition in 1971 by a group of concerned citizens who formed Old St. Peter's Landmark, Inc., for that specific purpose, and which maintains the building as a museum and site for weddings, concerts and other cultural events.
[edit] Architecture and appointments
The building is an example of Gothic Revival architecture, and was constructed of red brick with a roof of galvanized iron Spanish tile. 120 feet (36.6 m) long and 40 feet (12.2 m) wide, the church boasts a spire which reaches 176 feet (53.6 m) at its peak, topped by a weathervane in the form of a rooster atop a large cross, a symbol of the Saint Peter. Its height makes it literally a landmark, as it is visible from virtually all points in the city, and has been used by surveyors as a reference point from the time it was built to the present day. The belfry houses a 533 pound (242 kg) bell connected to a rope which reaches to the narthex.
Old St. Peter's features 34 stained glass windows, typical of Victorian art glass style. They were designed and installed by the Povey Brothers Studio in Portland, Oregon, including six rose windows. The faces of the daughters of the artists were included among the cherubs depicted in the stained glass. The names on the window dedications include many pioneer families.
The interior vaulted ceiling, nearly 40 feet at its highest point, is of stamped metal, and the sanctuary is decorated with painted detail by German artist Theodore Braash, who completed his work over several months in 1954 and 1955. The railings and altars are of Carrara marble, created and installed by Italian artisans.
Restoration has included recovery of most of the interior appointments and furnishings, including statuary, baptistry, and pews decorated by steam press with wood and pearl trim in a leaf and ivy motif.
The Kilgen pipe organ, made of rare tigerwood and installed in 1927, is still in place in the loft at the back of the nave, and has been kept in working condition. The first organ to be used at St. Peter's, a collapsible pump organ, is also on display.
[edit] References
- Information about Old St. Peter's Landmark (HTML). Old St. Peter's Landmark, Inc. (official website) (2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
- Oregon - Wasco County (HTML). National Register of Historic Places. nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com (Not an official U.S. Government website) (2006). Retrieved on 2006-12-06.
[edit] External links
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